Theodore in November

Review
The poems in this book seem to illustrate an allegorical journey with as its main characters Theodore/love and November/Eden; a journey of self-discovery and the realisation of true love, that ephemeral and elusive fabled beast.

There are some truly stunning and haunting poems in this collection and, as I am coming to expect with Natalie Williams, the author often strikes just the right poetic tone, hits home to the reader's heart and makes her point in a direct and wondrous manner.

In `Cover me in Latin' I am fixed by the lines `Easy lover/I'm skinned by you/And gift wrapped in joy/Present me to your finest woes/And I shall curl my toes'. Sheer beauty and so incredibly evocative. Williams is the mistress of setting the mood. In `Words of Wine', I am treated to `And I am liquid in your hands/Liquid to fulfil your demands/Flow to meet your commands/You drink me up yet I am drunk with you/. Who can resist a poetic flow like this?

Theodore in November seems to be an exploration of precisely those feelings that make human beings feel human, and, at times, immortal. These are themes that resonate throughout the ages; love and loss, longing and desire, the quenching and the hurt, the pain and the bliss involved in the mere act of living and loving. This, all said, is a beautiful book of poetry.

I will leave you with a few more lines that inspired this editor. What joy is poetry when it comes in the form of sublime craft. From `Take me back to November': `Take me back to November/Make me remember/The steps I took to December/../Develop me/Envelop me/Play with me/Today with me/Stay with me'. And also: `Blow me into a Rainbow/Fly me like a kite/Let me be the moonlight/On a November night'. --Ancient Heart Magazine, April 17th 2009
Product Description
Theodore in November is a poetic celebration of innocence and the expression of an essential mystery: how love can be so easily destroyed by the burdens we carry in ourselves. These poems depict a journey through all the stages of love. Theodore, who represents innocence, is the object of the narrator Harbinger's affection. Harbinger speaks universally through folk tales and legends of the journey she takes to find Theodore, and of how she discovers herself when she discovers innocence. November, a time between summer and winter, a time of peace and stillness before the change of seasons wreaks havoc, is where Harbinger's transformation to a state of innocence through love is realised.

Natalie Williams offers an ethereal and perceptive insight into our everyday yet strongest emotions. Her poems transcend words, lifting commonplace ideas, thoughts and feelings into another world. Will Harbinger destroy her love when she finds it? Will Theodore run from her in fear? Will the legends fulfil their destiny? Will love be victorious? Take the first steps into the crisp winter berry of November colours and discover Theodore in November.

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