Fragments: Haiku and Verse of Seasons

by Ben Ditmars, Susie Clevenger

Definition of fragment:
a part broken off, detached, or incomplete

Definition of season:
the time when something specified flourishes, develops, takes place, or is popular, permitted, or at its best.

Fragments is a collection of haiku and short poetry by authors Susie Clevenger and Ben Ditmars. Let them take you through the year with all the emotions of the holiday seasons. Do you remember St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween or Valentine’s Day as a child or adult? Clevenger and Ditmars will remind you of the love, pain and promise of each new day as told through seasons.

All proceeds go toward funding cancer research.

Genres: Poetry

82 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 24, 2021

About the author

Ben Ditmars was first published in his college publications the Cornfield Review and KAPOW and has since been featured in several online literary journals. He is the author of six poetry books including Night Poems, Haiku in the Night, Inhale the Night, Sleeping with Earth, Number Poetry and Splinters with Susie Clevenger. He lives in Ohio with his wife, De’Garrica, and dachshund, Elsa.

Reviews

[Nathaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely, fresh collection. This ran through important days of the year, taking them and giving them an interesting perspective. I really enjoyed the way it viewed common practices that I don’t think much of. While Susie is new to me, I have really enjoyed a lot of Bens poems in the past and this one was no exception.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Fragments" is a poetry collection featuring poems by Ben Ditmars and Susie Clevenger. I have read a few of Ben Ditmars' books and he has also featured in some of the Mind's Eye Series anthologies that include some of my short stories, so I was familiar with his style of verse. I had not previously read any poetry by Susie Clevenger. I think these two poets have quite different voices but they work well together in this book. The book takes notable holiday dates of the year, for example Halloween and Thanksgiving, and each of the poets has written a few poems, in the form of either Haiku or short verse to express thoughts and memories relating to them. I am sure many people will relate to the themes in the book. One theme that runs throughout is how Covid has affected the way people can enjoy such celebrations. Ben Ditmars, in particular, has written some poignant verse that made me stop and think. His poetry is always quite profound and thought-provoking. Many of the poems have a bittersweet quality.

These two poets have taken universal thoughts and feelings surrounding holiday seasons and managed to express opinions and emotions that conjure up images in the reader's mind. It was a quick read, as the poems are short, but it was nonetheless enjoyable and nostalgic. It always surprises me how poets can tell a story in a short verse like Haiku.

All the profits from this book will go towards funding cancer research.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben and Susie have done a book together before called Splinters, it was a awesome read! I was so happy they wrote together again.
Susie did poetry in this book- one of my favorite poems was “
Cherry blossom brush strokes transforms city sidewalks into water color interpretations of spring.”.
My favorite Haiku that Ben wrote “
Lost in the treetops we are free as chlorophyll
Inside of chloroplast.”
I loved every word from these two authors!! The contrast on the same page with poetry and haiku was genius, worked well together.
The holidays are good for some but not for others. Ben and Susie go through them in their own interpretations. I’m sure you can relate!
This book was written as a tribute to our Friend and Author Tracy James Jones.
All proceeds go to cancer research.

[Helle Gade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh how I feel this book in my soul. The seasons movin through me at the authors words.They encapsulate the feelings of the wheel of time. I highly recommend this book.

Some of my favourites are:

Susi:
i’m the queen of hearts
royal cupid of choices
pain you encourage

Ben:
her soul is a flower
daring to be touched
before the sky grows dark

[Barbara Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I started reading this work of art, I couldn’t put it down. In fact, I reread it again. As usual when I read poetry, I experienced a new perspective with each reading. Any poet who can tug at the mind and heart so intimately can only be classified as a work of art. Even rarer is to have two poets compliment each other’s styles so perfectly, the reader is able to truly walk in another’s shoes. Fragments is simply brilliant. I sincerely hope these two poets collaborate again in the near future.

[Chrissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoughtful & Evocative

I read this at the beginning of the year, a perfect time for looking backward and forward to the seasons. These poems read like snapshots and meditations, giving space for remembrance, hope, and honoring the year. Highly rereadable.