Poetry and Ponderings: A Journey of Abuse and Healing Through Poetry
By Diamante Lavendar
Published by Written Dreams Publishing
Reviewed by Amy Owings
ABOUT THE BOOK
A raw collection of religious poetry and prose based on one Christian woman’s experiences of being abused, and how she healed herself with God’s love in order to move past the assaults.
In this rare collection of nonfiction Christian poetry and prose based on real life experiences, Diamante Lavendar, a victim of abuse, shows the reader the raw emotions of pain, hate, and denial that occur before a victim of abuse can find a way to heal from the pains of assault. Knowing herself the very difficult journey of being a victim, Diamante was abused as a child, and turned to alcohol and drugs to numb the pain. Many years later, she started to heal under God’s watchful eyes and was able to find love in her life again. She shares these truly inspiring, religious poems in the hopes that it may help other victims heal their hurts, as she did while writing the poetry collection.
Genre: Poetry / Spirituality
134 pages
MY REVIEW
3 out of 5 stars
This chapbook was a positive reminder to cherish the good things in our lives and to work toward healing from the bad. I found it relatable and inspiring in the way a quote book or religious text might be, with small bits of positive wisdom. Sometimes it got a little too sappy, and I also wish it had been a bit longer, but overall this was a pleasant, quick read for anyone needing a pick-me-up.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Diamante Lavendar has been in love with reading since she was a child. She spent many hours listening to her mother read to her when she was young. As she grew older, she enjoyed reading novels of all genres. Diamante believes that everyone should try to leave their own positive mark on the world, and to make it a better place for all. Writing is her way of leaving her mark—one story at a time. She began writing in college and has published poetry in anthologies over the years. Once her kids were grown, she wrote as a form of self-expression and decided she wanted to share her stories with others. Most of her writing is very personal and stems from her own experiences, and those of her family and friends. She writes to encourage hope and possibility to those who read her stories. To learn more about Diamante Lavendar and her books, please visit her website at: www.diamantelavendar.com.
DISCLAIMER
I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for writing a review. I was not obligated to give a positive review, and all thoughts are my own.