Poems of Yearning, Separation and Love: The Lament Published by Outskirts Press
Poet and veteran author Ercell H. Hoffman’s new collection of poems captures the full range of emotion that swirls through human relationships as well as conveys the yearning for a sensuous and profound love which each of us, man or woman, shares.
Compton, CA, June 24, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Ercell H. Hoffman announced today the release of her newest book, The Lament, Selected Poems and Prose, published by Outskirts Press. Hoffman’s poems confidently and candidly address that most basic human need of finding and keeping love while still holding steady to the recognition of one’s own inner truth.
This accomplished poet moves from longer confessional narratives to lean, well crafted quatrains, both frequently in rhymed couplets, which concentrate on love and loss and on the continued personal quest for connecting with others, especially with the depth of a true romantic love. A master at conveying the yearning to close the physical as well as the emotional space that too often separates lovers, Hoffman draws openly from her own experiences of separation and coincidence in love.
In “Lost to the Moment,” for instance, she relishes the irreplaceable first blush of fledgling love that sweeps through her body “like a cool summer breeze” while in “This Afternoon” she explores the painful possibilities of a love that might have been for her, but that she “knew could not blossom.” “Stay Heart Stay” tells of the undying fire for another that refuses to be extinguished, despite impossible barriers.
Other poems in this extensive collection reveal the deeply unsatisfying experience of the contemporary workplace. “The Factory” shows the peculiarly disconnected relationships between unappreciated factory workers, and “On the JOB” tackles the mind numbing boredom of a career that’s anything but busy. Hoffman writes of one working woman -- with far more to offer than any supervisor can fathom -- who writes down her insights despite the vast impersonal cloud of the workplace around her. “…she puts down her pen. But she has spoken.”
That breath of hope is a theme that underlies Hoffman’s poetry, whether she is addressing the profound joy of those in love or the closely shared rhythms of jazz music and being black.
The Lament is available on-line in paperback through Amazon and Barnes and Noble and at www.outskirtspress.com/bookstore for a maximum trade discount in quantities of ten or more.
Format: 5.5 x 8.5 paperback cream ISBN: 978-1-4327-4346-8 SRP: $9.95
Genre: Poetry/African
About the author:
Ercell H. Hoffman has already authored three books: The Acknowledgement, USA Anytime Anyplace and A Journal of Thoughts, Dreams and Impressions – with Tips on How to Stay Fat. Ercell first began writing cards for Hallmark and has often been published in poetry anthologies and newspapers. A practicing licensed marriage family therapist in Compton, California, she also works as a consultant for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health and California Children Services. She serves, as well, as clinical supervisor at the American Drug Recovery Program, Inc., in Los Angeles. She is a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother and lives in Compton, California.
For more information or to contact the author, visit www.outskirtspress.com/TheLament.
Outskirts Press offers high-quality, full-service self-publishing and book marketing services for writers and professionals who are seeking a cost-effective, fast, and flexible way to publish and distribute their books worldwide while retaining 100% of their rights, 100% of their profits, and 100% of the creative control. www.outskirtspress.com.
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Outskirts Press, Inc., 10940 S. Parker Rd. - 515, Parker, Colorado 80134
http://outskirtspress.com 1-888-OP-BOOKS
This accomplished poet moves from longer confessional narratives to lean, well crafted quatrains, both frequently in rhymed couplets, which concentrate on love and loss and on the continued personal quest for connecting with others, especially with the depth of a true romantic love. A master at conveying the yearning to close the physical as well as the emotional space that too often separates lovers, Hoffman draws openly from her own experiences of separation and coincidence in love.
In “Lost to the Moment,” for instance, she relishes the irreplaceable first blush of fledgling love that sweeps through her body “like a cool summer breeze” while in “This Afternoon” she explores the painful possibilities of a love that might have been for her, but that she “knew could not blossom.” “Stay Heart Stay” tells of the undying fire for another that refuses to be extinguished, despite impossible barriers.
Other poems in this extensive collection reveal the deeply unsatisfying experience of the contemporary workplace. “The Factory” shows the peculiarly disconnected relationships between unappreciated factory workers, and “On the JOB” tackles the mind numbing boredom of a career that’s anything but busy. Hoffman writes of one working woman -- with far more to offer than any supervisor can fathom -- who writes down her insights despite the vast impersonal cloud of the workplace around her. “…she puts down her pen. But she has spoken.”
That breath of hope is a theme that underlies Hoffman’s poetry, whether she is addressing the profound joy of those in love or the closely shared rhythms of jazz music and being black.
The Lament is available on-line in paperback through Amazon and Barnes and Noble and at www.outskirtspress.com/bookstore for a maximum trade discount in quantities of ten or more.
Format: 5.5 x 8.5 paperback cream ISBN: 978-1-4327-4346-8 SRP: $9.95
Genre: Poetry/African
About the author:
Ercell H. Hoffman has already authored three books: The Acknowledgement, USA Anytime Anyplace and A Journal of Thoughts, Dreams and Impressions – with Tips on How to Stay Fat. Ercell first began writing cards for Hallmark and has often been published in poetry anthologies and newspapers. A practicing licensed marriage family therapist in Compton, California, she also works as a consultant for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health and California Children Services. She serves, as well, as clinical supervisor at the American Drug Recovery Program, Inc., in Los Angeles. She is a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother and lives in Compton, California.
For more information or to contact the author, visit www.outskirtspress.com/TheLament.
Outskirts Press offers high-quality, full-service self-publishing and book marketing services for writers and professionals who are seeking a cost-effective, fast, and flexible way to publish and distribute their books worldwide while retaining 100% of their rights, 100% of their profits, and 100% of the creative control. www.outskirtspress.com.
###
Outskirts Press, Inc., 10940 S. Parker Rd. - 515, Parker, Colorado 80134
http://outskirtspress.com 1-888-OP-BOOKS
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Outskirts Press
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888.672.6657
www.outskirtspress.com
Kelly Schuknecht
888.672.6657
www.outskirtspress.com
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