Eden Redefined

by Christine Bode

Discover the raw, powerful, and fear-driven emotions that Christine Bode unearths in her poetic collection, Eden Redefined. Through her unflinching candor, Bode covers a range of universal themes, from love and relationships to life and death. She conveys her feelings about the struggles of life, the pain of lost dreams, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, Bode also expresses her warmth, passion, and spirituality in her prose-style poetry. With her collection, Bode provides readers with an honest and relatable look at the beauty and pain of life.

What You’ll Find in Eden Redefined:
- A reflection on human vampires, relationships, and life’s meaning in raw and gripping detail
- A contemplation of grief, pandemic isolation, and the madness of the 21st century
- An exploration of the emotional rollercoaster of human existence
- A powerful story of resilience, hope, and spiritual growth

Eden Redefined intimately contemplates grief, human vampires, spiritual growth, love in its many guises, pandemic isolation, and the madness of the 21st century.

105 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2022

About the author

Christine Bode is the author of two books of visceral, audacious poetry. Eden Refugee reflects the experiences of a young woman consumed by sex, drugs, rock’n’roll, unrequited love and a constant quest for spiritual enlightenment. In her latest volume, Eden Redefined, Christine bares her soul, teasing every sense by revealing her life as an existential mud wrestler. Eden Redefined intimately contemplates grief, human vampires, spiritual growth, love in its many guises, pandemic isolation, and the madness of the 21st century.

Christine is also a co-author of the anthology For the Grandchildren: A Collection of Stories, Life Lessons, and Wisdom from Around the World: Volume I published by Publish and Promote on Aug. 12, 2024.

Christine’s first poem, about Shaun Cassidy, was published by Scholastic in Rock’s Biggest Ten and in 16 Magazine in 1978. Encouraged by a letter from Bob Geldof in 1987, mentored in the 2000s by Companion of the Order of Canada, Patrick Watson, and a review of Eden Refugee by Grammy Award-winning filmmaker Tom DiCillo, she continues to write poems with “the pulse of life in them.”

An empath and truth seeker, she encourages people to question everything while remaining authentic. Christine has worked for eighteen years as a copy editor and social media manager for musicians and authors. She lives in Kingston, ON, with her Goldendoodle, Eloise.

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Reviews

[P.L. Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of passion, vitality, boldness, and inspiration Eden Redefined is as startling and audacious in its themes and concepts as it is beautiful and emotive in its language. Brilliant and brave poet Christine Bode knows how to capture the heart like a butterfly in the palm. This vibrant, courageous, and gripping collection of poetry will remind the reader of the frailty of love, life, and happiness and why that fragility is worth experiencing for all its nebulousness.

[M.A. Quigley · Rating 5 out of 5]

'... being alone in my thoughts is like being trapped in a float tank...'

An interesting look at poet Bode's life through her prose. Some poems read like a statement/mantra. All of them are raw, and courageous, insights into her thoughts and feelings as the reader travels through 2008-2022 with her. We see things through her lens and the life she leads before, during, and after the pandemic. Some of her beliefs, thoughts, and feelings are very relatable regarding COVID-19. Everyone wants and needs to be loved – to have a hug to feel wanted, needed, and loved would be enough.

[Angela Stever · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eden Redefined teases every sense. Honest and real, the reader will see, hear, feel, taste, and smell the pleasures and pains in Bode’s poetic truth. Relatable, raw and refreshing.

[Boris Glikman · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her poetry, Christine Bode covers the whole gamut of human experience, dealing with such universal, timeless, fundamental themes as the awakening and extinguishing of love; epiphanies about life's meaning; the regret that one feels over lost and broken dreams; the irresolvable dilemmas of relationships; the obsessive contemplation of the eternal "what if?" question that besets us all; the merciless reality of death. All these themes and topics are dealt with unflinching, raw candour, power and fearlessness. One of my favourite poems is "No Idea", and I find it poignant and affecting. It may appear to be crushing with its litany of broken dreams, yet it ends on an uplifting note of hope, for as long as one is alive, there is hope. And in the end, that seems to be the overarching theme of Christine's poetry, which is a valuable lesson for us all: despite everything, despite all the hardships, setbacks, and tragedies, there will always be hope left in life.

[Jupiter Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book of poetry. It was like stepping into memories. I found it emotional and very descriptive, which made it easy to visualize. I recommend this book to poetry lovers.
My favourite poems were: The closest to God, Don’t forget to tell the aliens, A blessed morning, and My pagan heart.

[Philip Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christine Bode writes not to reassure herself nor her readership. Instead, she simply describes her experiences and how they impacted her life. Painful, gripping, and heartfelt…but her writings are also beautiful, eloquent, and utterly relatable.

In the poetry of Eden Redefined, the author laments lost loves, battles with self-loathing, and struggles with day-to-day life in Ontario, Canada, especially during its long, harsh winters. She explicitly describes her feeling about the horrible way life has been savaged by the Covid 19 crisis of nearly the last three years. She expresses her utter contempt for the Draconian rules forced upon society by the beneficiaries of that crisis, and with good reason.

Yet, Bode also conveys her love, warmth, passion, and deep spirituality in her prose-style poetry. And, her hopes, not just for any one life, but all life.

When I read this collection of poetry, both old and new books, I found myself being pulled into Christine Bode’s world, one in which her losses and agonies - physical and emotional - are clearly not my own but which I can feel. Because we all go through a trial by fire in one war or another. And in that same way, I can share her successes and love.

If you’re looking for some words of comfort, something to reassure you it’s all going be ok, move on. We don’t know if it will all be ok, and Bode may know that better than most. But if you’re ready for the roller coaster, buckle up. This heart-crushing yet sanguine collection is for the passionate thinkers of the world.

[Jacqueline Pirtle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eden Redefined by Christine Bode is moving, shifting, and potent. Her words touch your emotions right from the start. Bode has the talent to describe a powerful story with just a few words, grabbing your full attention. You will find yourself not stopping until you read the whole book. I loved it very much.

[Sarah Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Courageous and emotionally raw words that will move your heart at every page turn. Pick up this book of poetry and take a journey into love, loss and finding one's self.