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Measures
From the award-winning author of The Weight of Snow and The Starling’s Song comes Measures, B. L. Bruce’s third collection of poetry. In her new book, the author deftly explores the visual measures of time and the nature of change in her celebrated, nuanced verse.
In this latest collection featuring nearly sixty new poems—including works in new formats like micropoetry and American haiku—award-winning poet B. L. Bruce again echoes the lyricism and rich imagery that readers have come to praise.
In this latest collection featuring nearly sixty new poems—including works in new formats like micropoetry and American haiku—award-winning poet B. L. Bruce again echoes the lyricism and rich imagery that readers have come to praise.
- GenresPoetry
132 pages, Paperback
Published February 26, 2021
4 people want to read
About the author
B.L. Bruce
6 books30 followersB. L. Bruce is an award-winning American poet living and working along the California coast. A two-time Pushcart Prize nominee, her creative work has appeared in numerous anthologies, magazines, and literary publications.
Currently working on her sixth collection, her books include The Weight of Snow, 28 Days of Solitude, The Starling’s Song, Measures, and most recently Blue California Sky.
Currently working on her sixth collection, her books include The Weight of Snow, 28 Days of Solitude, The Starling’s Song, Measures, and most recently Blue California Sky.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 27, 2021
Lyrical and reflective, award-winning Bruce’s latest, a collection of poems, micropoetry, and American haiku, offers a litany of ruminations on nature, love, and self.
“Full Moon at Albion River” is a meditation on the wonders of nature. With her knack for creating intricate emotional textures, Bruce infuses mourning and grief with tangible chaos of today’s pandemic-ridden, calamitous world in “Locust,” as she visualizes the bleak space that remains after the death of a beloved: “In the days after/ you took your own life/ it rained without end/ as though, too, / the world mourned. / And it did. / The floodwater rose, / and the earth was being buried/ under feet and feet of water, / and then it was burning.”
Bruce’s sharp observations makes “Rhythm” intimate and arresting. She finds courage, wonder, wisdom, and cheer in nature in “Channel,” “North” and “Alpine Poems.”
Readers seeking meditations on nature, life, love, and spiritual renewal won’t be able to put this perceptive, deeply engrossing read. This is a winner.
“Full Moon at Albion River” is a meditation on the wonders of nature. With her knack for creating intricate emotional textures, Bruce infuses mourning and grief with tangible chaos of today’s pandemic-ridden, calamitous world in “Locust,” as she visualizes the bleak space that remains after the death of a beloved: “In the days after/ you took your own life/ it rained without end/ as though, too, / the world mourned. / And it did. / The floodwater rose, / and the earth was being buried/ under feet and feet of water, / and then it was burning.”
Bruce’s sharp observations makes “Rhythm” intimate and arresting. She finds courage, wonder, wisdom, and cheer in nature in “Channel,” “North” and “Alpine Poems.”
Readers seeking meditations on nature, life, love, and spiritual renewal won’t be able to put this perceptive, deeply engrossing read. This is a winner.
February 28, 2021
Measures lays an invitation for the reader to into honest reflective thought on the transitory nature of relationships and life itself.
A bittersweet journey through nostalgic memoirs, Bruce’s collection is the song we have all known while never having heard the words, until now.
The ebb and flow of emotions through this collection so organically intertwined in sweet synchronicity with the natural world reminds us both of how life keeps moving in spite of our own individual state of being and of our own connection with the constant flow of life surrounding us.
One can imagine Bruce’s moulding of her art through words as an artisanal craftsmen carefully creating his intrinsic work with the intention of forming both a deep and lasting impression on all who take the time to hold it - to breathe it in.
Measures is a welcome prod for the stagnant heart and a warm sense of familiarity through shared experience of love, loss and healing.
A bittersweet journey through nostalgic memoirs, Bruce’s collection is the song we have all known while never having heard the words, until now.
The ebb and flow of emotions through this collection so organically intertwined in sweet synchronicity with the natural world reminds us both of how life keeps moving in spite of our own individual state of being and of our own connection with the constant flow of life surrounding us.
One can imagine Bruce’s moulding of her art through words as an artisanal craftsmen carefully creating his intrinsic work with the intention of forming both a deep and lasting impression on all who take the time to hold it - to breathe it in.
Measures is a welcome prod for the stagnant heart and a warm sense of familiarity through shared experience of love, loss and healing.
February 27, 2021
Measures by B. L. Bruce, is a short book of poetry that found my heart again and again. When writing about nature, Bruce delights with her keen observation skills and her gentle and lyrical prose. Her writings on human relationships offer a realism which alternates between sharp and soft according to the state of the relationship at the time. I found myself bookmarking many pages and underlining phrases throughout my reading of the book. At times, it seemed as if she could look into my thoughts and my heart and wrote the words I could not form myself. A very enjoyable read, I rate it 4.5 stars!
May 30, 2021
Poetry holds the superpower of helping us imagine things from a different perspective, where a collection of well-written words takes us on a tour (a wonderful virtual and imaginary tour).
This book is a collection of 58 poems and it ranges from a variety of topics, but each and every poem is captivating and well composed. Few of the poems are collections of Haiku, some are micro tales and mostly are long written poems.
The poems are in a great flow and some poems are of few words yet the idea is so strong that the reader can directly connect with what the author wants to convey. The book opens with a poem named “Cachagua Road” and it so beautifully shows how nature and human emotions are intertwined and I liked the comparison made . Then another poetry collection titled “Spring Haiku” which got 5 American Haiku so nicely lets the reader imagine the scene of a bright morning where the protagonist is enjoying a ripe apricot and enjoying the pleasant wind surrounded by a black dog and coo singing. Another poetry “Locust” describes how the locusts attacked the crops and left nothing.
“Some things
will always
imprison us,
Carried like scars.
I begged my body
Not to love you”
The above poem is one of my favourite from the collection and it describes how we can not control our love for someone, even if it rips apart our whole existence with scars.
Other poems like “Winter and “In the Garden” felt connected as in the first it was about the snow and second had drying oak.
“Measures” is a heartwarming poem where the author talks about the unnoticed corners where dust accumulates, comparing with our neglected grief and how seasons changes with that changing everything around even before we notice. “ White Lillies” shows love and connection between two persons.
You can actually visualize the “Autumn Poems” where the author speaks about the October sky surrounded by marigold flowers.
“Fewer times in my life I have loved.
Even fewer are the days
I have loved myself”
These lines so strongly capture the reality of human life.
The book ends with “When I die” where the authors want others to imagine her igniting from her burnt body.
This book is a collection of 58 poems and it ranges from a variety of topics, but each and every poem is captivating and well composed. Few of the poems are collections of Haiku, some are micro tales and mostly are long written poems.
The poems are in a great flow and some poems are of few words yet the idea is so strong that the reader can directly connect with what the author wants to convey. The book opens with a poem named “Cachagua Road” and it so beautifully shows how nature and human emotions are intertwined and I liked the comparison made . Then another poetry collection titled “Spring Haiku” which got 5 American Haiku so nicely lets the reader imagine the scene of a bright morning where the protagonist is enjoying a ripe apricot and enjoying the pleasant wind surrounded by a black dog and coo singing. Another poetry “Locust” describes how the locusts attacked the crops and left nothing.
“Some things
will always
imprison us,
Carried like scars.
I begged my body
Not to love you”
The above poem is one of my favourite from the collection and it describes how we can not control our love for someone, even if it rips apart our whole existence with scars.
Other poems like “Winter and “In the Garden” felt connected as in the first it was about the snow and second had drying oak.
“Measures” is a heartwarming poem where the author talks about the unnoticed corners where dust accumulates, comparing with our neglected grief and how seasons changes with that changing everything around even before we notice. “ White Lillies” shows love and connection between two persons.
You can actually visualize the “Autumn Poems” where the author speaks about the October sky surrounded by marigold flowers.
“Fewer times in my life I have loved.
Even fewer are the days
I have loved myself”
These lines so strongly capture the reality of human life.
The book ends with “When I die” where the authors want others to imagine her igniting from her burnt body.
April 13, 2021
“Measures” is a collection of poems that introduces us in the world of nature, love and lot of emotions. ‘Quiet mornings like these, sun in the corner, I notice the wide paddles of the fiddle-leaf fig open like so many hands unfolding’. I’d pin this one as a peaceful piece of poetry (Rhythm).
“In the days after you took your own life, it rained without end as though, too, the world mourned. And it did. The floodwater rose, and the earth was being buried/ under feet and feet of water, and then it was burning.” However, if we read Locust, it is filled with tragedy of pandemic and grief. The parting of lover to death is quite closely written down in this poem. It’s tragic and sad but it is written as it is.
There are wonderful set of 58 poems and all are masterpiece in itself. For example, ‘Gift’ it’s a sweet but is quite relatable in the present time. I’d say that if you are a poetry lover or even if you are not, you should give this book a shot. It’s worth your time. I highly recommend this. MUST BUY.
“In the days after you took your own life, it rained without end as though, too, the world mourned. And it did. The floodwater rose, and the earth was being buried/ under feet and feet of water, and then it was burning.” However, if we read Locust, it is filled with tragedy of pandemic and grief. The parting of lover to death is quite closely written down in this poem. It’s tragic and sad but it is written as it is.
There are wonderful set of 58 poems and all are masterpiece in itself. For example, ‘Gift’ it’s a sweet but is quite relatable in the present time. I’d say that if you are a poetry lover or even if you are not, you should give this book a shot. It’s worth your time. I highly recommend this. MUST BUY.
March 14, 2021
Measures
By
B. L. Bruce
My Review:
Measures is the first book that I have read written by the author B. L. Bruce. It is a poetry collection of 58 poems. Some are micropoetry and some are even written in the Haiku format. All the poems follow a similar alignment.
October sky
blooming:
marigold, tangerine.
Autumn poems took me down few months back and reminded me of this beautiful season and of cold morning air. Some poems explores the relationship expectations like to be loved by someone deeply.
Poetry lovers could relate to many poems from the collection. Some poems even made me emotional while reading. Cover of the book is captivating. I finished this collection in three sittings. If you want to be lost in the lyrical world, then this poetry book is a perfect escape from monotonous life.
My Rating: 5/5
By
B. L. Bruce
My Review:
Measures is the first book that I have read written by the author B. L. Bruce. It is a poetry collection of 58 poems. Some are micropoetry and some are even written in the Haiku format. All the poems follow a similar alignment.
October sky
blooming:
marigold, tangerine.
Autumn poems took me down few months back and reminded me of this beautiful season and of cold morning air. Some poems explores the relationship expectations like to be loved by someone deeply.
Poetry lovers could relate to many poems from the collection. Some poems even made me emotional while reading. Cover of the book is captivating. I finished this collection in three sittings. If you want to be lost in the lyrical world, then this poetry book is a perfect escape from monotonous life.
My Rating: 5/5
March 13, 2021
🔷 BOOK: Measures
🔷 AUTHOR: B. L. Bruce
My Review:
Measures is the latest poetry collection book written by an award winning author of The Weight of Snow and The Starling's Song.
In this book, many poems are micropoetry and I loved them. Within just few words, author has expressed deepest emotions.
I watch you dream,
and outside it
begins to snow.
I loved the poem Winter that reminded me of Snow, dreams. With the poem Submission, I think author has expressed heart of many people. White Lillies is a gem in this anthology.
If you love to read poetry then go ahead with this collection. I enjoyed this book with a cup of coffee while sitting in my front porch. Language of the book is lucid. Even if you are not an avid poetry reader, you could follow the poems.
My Rating: 4.5/5
🔷 AUTHOR: B. L. Bruce
My Review:
Measures is the latest poetry collection book written by an award winning author of The Weight of Snow and The Starling's Song.
In this book, many poems are micropoetry and I loved them. Within just few words, author has expressed deepest emotions.
I watch you dream,
and outside it
begins to snow.
I loved the poem Winter that reminded me of Snow, dreams. With the poem Submission, I think author has expressed heart of many people. White Lillies is a gem in this anthology.
If you love to read poetry then go ahead with this collection. I enjoyed this book with a cup of coffee while sitting in my front porch. Language of the book is lucid. Even if you are not an avid poetry reader, you could follow the poems.
My Rating: 4.5/5
March 15, 2021
Measures written by the author B. L. Bruce is the third published book of the author. It is a collection of nearly sixty poems. Some of my favorite poems from the collection are: Morro Bay, Fewer, The Color Blue, It Happened Once, etc. These poems explores grief, love, loss, betrayal, etc.
A woman
in the distance
stands in the gray sea,
bends to hold it
in her hands
so tenderly—
I yearned to know
such a caress.
Cover photo of the book looks mind blowing and the title is suitable. Writing style of author is nice. Poems are written as left aligned. Some poems are short whereas other ones are long. They are lyrical in nature and if you are a poetry lover then you shouldn't miss to read this book.
A woman
in the distance
stands in the gray sea,
bends to hold it
in her hands
so tenderly—
I yearned to know
such a caress.
Cover photo of the book looks mind blowing and the title is suitable. Writing style of author is nice. Poems are written as left aligned. Some poems are short whereas other ones are long. They are lyrical in nature and if you are a poetry lover then you shouldn't miss to read this book.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews