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Spectrums & Apertures
Spectrums & Apertures is a poetry collection that explores the perceptions and conflicts of birth, life, love, place, religion, and death. The poems are fragments of life, in the way we experience ourselves in our various roles and relationships, and how we are impacted by the ripples we create and eventually come full circle.
71 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 21, 2015
9 people want to read
About the author
Andrea McKenzie Raine
21 books293 followersAndrea McKenzie Raine was born in Smithers, BC and grew up in Victoria, BC where she still resides. She was enrolled in the Creative Writing program and earned a B.A. in English Literature at the University of Victoria in 2000, and completed a post-degree Public Relations certificate program. She has attended the successful Planet Earth Poetry reading series (formerly known as Mocambopo) in Victoria, BC since 1997, and participated in the Glenairley writing retreats led by Canadian poet and novelist Patrick Lane in Sooke, BC. In 2005, she published her first book of poetry, titled A Mother’s String, through Ekstasis Editions. Her poetry has also appeared in Mocambo Nights, Canadian Literature journal, Quills, Borderlines anthology (Ascent Aspirations magazine), Tempus anthology (Rubicon Press), Poems from Planet Earth (Leaf Press), Tongues of Fire anthology, and several Glenairley chapbooks edited by Patrick Lane (Leaf Press). She has also written book reviews and articles for local magazines, celebrating the work of her peers. She lives with her husband and two young sons and, by day, is employed as a correspondence writer for the provincial government. Turnstiles is her debut novel published by Inkwater Press. She also published her second novel, A Crowded Heart, through Inkwater Press, which is a prequel to Turnstiles. Her most recent novel is the third book in the Turnstiles series, a sequel titled Beyond the Summer Grass.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 23, 2022
It's a shame that kindle protects this old man from reading this book of poetry in a shared space. We read them at school, then marvel at song lyrics and slowly loose the sense of tone, of rhyme and reason. Especially men as poems tend towards love sonnets and valentine verse.
Spectrums & Apertures is a celebration of life; written by an author whose prose has already enthralled me, so her spun words hold no fear and challenge my masculinity and years since my youth. A journey I am prepared to take as the writer is someone within whose company I delight.
It is often the choice of a reviewer to pick out their favourite poems and hold these up to those who would follow you through these pages. To do so would be to misunderstand the quality of these words which turn and caught the light with each re-reading of them. So that what I like so much just now may fade and be bettered by 10 no 20 other poems previously not fully grasped.
In all her writing I like best the crisp phrase, a catchy couplet or that control of words that catches truth with little perceived effort.
As here: "The landscape tilted like liquid in a bowl ...."; "Closed doors don't keep out the hurt thoughts of yesterday but hold in the good." and "His face in the window looks back at him, but there is no dialogue."
Still I will point you to certain poems for want of a perfect review. Fingernail, First Coat and The Visitor. To name but three. "She waits for him, while the milk sours in the fridge, and everything else is past its due."
A book to make you think and reflect, a book to read again and discover new thoughts and memories.
Spectrums & Apertures is a celebration of life; written by an author whose prose has already enthralled me, so her spun words hold no fear and challenge my masculinity and years since my youth. A journey I am prepared to take as the writer is someone within whose company I delight.
It is often the choice of a reviewer to pick out their favourite poems and hold these up to those who would follow you through these pages. To do so would be to misunderstand the quality of these words which turn and caught the light with each re-reading of them. So that what I like so much just now may fade and be bettered by 10 no 20 other poems previously not fully grasped.
In all her writing I like best the crisp phrase, a catchy couplet or that control of words that catches truth with little perceived effort.
As here: "The landscape tilted like liquid in a bowl ...."; "Closed doors don't keep out the hurt thoughts of yesterday but hold in the good." and "His face in the window looks back at him, but there is no dialogue."
Still I will point you to certain poems for want of a perfect review. Fingernail, First Coat and The Visitor. To name but three. "She waits for him, while the milk sours in the fridge, and everything else is past its due."
A book to make you think and reflect, a book to read again and discover new thoughts and memories.
August 2, 2019
An intriguing collection of poems, “Spectrums and Apertures” is skillfully written in modern free verse. Providing elegance and flow, Raine discusses a variety of themes, including love, relationships, birth and death. With effective use of figurative language, the poet also provides a maternal perspective. There are reflective moments and clever observations. With impressive detail, a crucial connection with nature is also conveyed. I appreciated Raine’s view of the human experience. Offering emotional power, this is a thoughtful and enjoyable book of poems.
November 30, 2016
Great collection of poems that will leave the reader with interesting and beautiful pictures in their mind. About life, from birth to death. and poems that tell stories about the world around us, the author has done a great job creating a collection that is great to read over and over. I was torn between a four and five star review and think that readers should grab this and decide for themselves, definitely a book to grab.
September 6, 2015
This is a wonderful collection of poems dealing with birth, life, love, relationships, death and nature. The author writes in such a vivid, imaginative way that the reader can easily relate to them.
There are several here involving birth, and life with a young child. The poem, 4 a.m, describes perfectly the magical yet exhausting experience of being awake late at night with a new born baby.
A ship's horn on the edge of morning calls me to rise as the sun sleeps
Your beacon cry draws me from dreams.
Any reader who has brought up a family will identify with the poem, Web, which perfectly conveys the chaos and disruption caused by young children;
Garden neglected,
Unfolded laundry, dishes piled high in the sink.
The author's strength lies in portraying the small details of life which are often overlooked.
Many of these poems deal with marriage. In First Coat the act of decorating a home becomes symbolic of a marriage;
We create a new colour; blend our weekdays into weekends and settle in.
We are proud and ready for this last coat
This bold colour will dress these walls for good.
These poems often explore the depth of security and comfort which comes from the familiarity of marriage. One of my favourite in this collection is Marriage Acrostic in which the opening letters of each line spell out the word marriage.
Imagine this room, our world
and these matching rings on our fingers
gather us in next to this mess and
warm dinner
embraced, in all things implied, unsaid
and unforgiven
It's moments such as these which give meaning to our lives and give us a sense of purpose. The author has an eye for detail; perfectly summing up the comfort and relaxation of a weekend morning in Saturday's Angel;
The angel of Saturday puts down her shovel
Sips her tea and writes morning couplets.
The relationship between humans and nature is never far away. There is so much beauty so near to us, which many of us fail to notice, as in Willow;
The tree in the backyard, separated
from my yard
hunkers down
with her Rapunzel hair
no one climbs.
Sometimes in life, we find ourselves alone, far from the hustle and bustle of family life, as in the haunting and evocative poem, The Visitor, which deals with the subject of loneliness;
She lives alone, surrounded by her antiques,
refuses to fade into the decor and become
another
fixed item in the room. And;
She waits for the guest
Who never comes too soon.
This conjures up such a picture for me that as I read the poem I can sense the desolation and emptiness felt by the woman in the poem.
The author experiments with various styles. Two of the poems here are written in the style of two other poets; Plumbing, in the style of John Ashbery, and A Tribute to In Praise of Mushrooms after Cynthia Woodman Kerkham. The author should be commended for this; I don't think it's easy for any author to adopt the voice of another.
This is a haunting, evocative collection dealing with everyday life and events which the reader can relate to. Many of the phrases will stay with you and make you think. Too many people are in a constant rush through life and these poems will make you pause and consider the wonder and magic which lies all around us. I think the message here is to take time to see the beauty and nature surrounding us and which we so often take for granted because we're too caught up in the stress and rush of everyday life.
The poems have a simple eloquence. These verses have no need of ornamentation or long-winded vague passages. Their message is clear; open your eyes and look around you and be amazed.
A beautifully written and thought provoking collection.
There are several here involving birth, and life with a young child. The poem, 4 a.m, describes perfectly the magical yet exhausting experience of being awake late at night with a new born baby.
A ship's horn on the edge of morning calls me to rise as the sun sleeps
Your beacon cry draws me from dreams.
Any reader who has brought up a family will identify with the poem, Web, which perfectly conveys the chaos and disruption caused by young children;
Garden neglected,
Unfolded laundry, dishes piled high in the sink.
The author's strength lies in portraying the small details of life which are often overlooked.
Many of these poems deal with marriage. In First Coat the act of decorating a home becomes symbolic of a marriage;
We create a new colour; blend our weekdays into weekends and settle in.
We are proud and ready for this last coat
This bold colour will dress these walls for good.
These poems often explore the depth of security and comfort which comes from the familiarity of marriage. One of my favourite in this collection is Marriage Acrostic in which the opening letters of each line spell out the word marriage.
Imagine this room, our world
and these matching rings on our fingers
gather us in next to this mess and
warm dinner
embraced, in all things implied, unsaid
and unforgiven
It's moments such as these which give meaning to our lives and give us a sense of purpose. The author has an eye for detail; perfectly summing up the comfort and relaxation of a weekend morning in Saturday's Angel;
The angel of Saturday puts down her shovel
Sips her tea and writes morning couplets.
The relationship between humans and nature is never far away. There is so much beauty so near to us, which many of us fail to notice, as in Willow;
The tree in the backyard, separated
from my yard
hunkers down
with her Rapunzel hair
no one climbs.
Sometimes in life, we find ourselves alone, far from the hustle and bustle of family life, as in the haunting and evocative poem, The Visitor, which deals with the subject of loneliness;
She lives alone, surrounded by her antiques,
refuses to fade into the decor and become
another
fixed item in the room. And;
She waits for the guest
Who never comes too soon.
This conjures up such a picture for me that as I read the poem I can sense the desolation and emptiness felt by the woman in the poem.
The author experiments with various styles. Two of the poems here are written in the style of two other poets; Plumbing, in the style of John Ashbery, and A Tribute to In Praise of Mushrooms after Cynthia Woodman Kerkham. The author should be commended for this; I don't think it's easy for any author to adopt the voice of another.
This is a haunting, evocative collection dealing with everyday life and events which the reader can relate to. Many of the phrases will stay with you and make you think. Too many people are in a constant rush through life and these poems will make you pause and consider the wonder and magic which lies all around us. I think the message here is to take time to see the beauty and nature surrounding us and which we so often take for granted because we're too caught up in the stress and rush of everyday life.
The poems have a simple eloquence. These verses have no need of ornamentation or long-winded vague passages. Their message is clear; open your eyes and look around you and be amazed.
A beautifully written and thought provoking collection.
July 5, 2018
Wonderful book of poetry. Andrea portrays perfectly the emotions, trials and joys of living. I loved the reality in the poems and connected with many. My two favorite poems were November in Translation and The Lake. Thought-provoking poetry that tugged at my emotions and uncovered memories with the turn of every page. This is not your grandmother's nursery rhymes--in a good way.
September 8, 2016
A review on Amazon -- https://www.amazon.com/review/REFBVHV...
This is a book of poems beautifully written by Author Andrea McKenzie Raine. I enjoyed them all, but especially enjoyed The Lake and also , Willow. The Lake brought back my childhood days with my parents at their lake home. Willow describes the beauty of the tree and its view point of the things around it. There are several poems that the words brought out memories in me I thought were hidden with age. I enjoyed this book, and I'm looking forward to other reads from this author.
This is a book of poems beautifully written by Author Andrea McKenzie Raine. I enjoyed them all, but especially enjoyed The Lake and also , Willow. The Lake brought back my childhood days with my parents at their lake home. Willow describes the beauty of the tree and its view point of the things around it. There are several poems that the words brought out memories in me I thought were hidden with age. I enjoyed this book, and I'm looking forward to other reads from this author.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews