Rise: An Anthology of Change is a collection of prose and poetry exploring positive change. First, let me admit my prejudices. I love poetry, and a mix of personal essays and poetry strikes me as a perfect format. Prose explores the book’s themes in-depth, while poetry provides an abstract representation of related emotions, which gives the work an emotional symmetry you might not find with prose alone.
Let me mention a few pieces that impacted me personally. Follow the Hula Girl (Becky Jensen) is a remarkable essay that resonated with me for several reasons. (My father passed recently. A family member committed suicide.) Despite potentially dark themes, the essay was upbeat and uplifting.
Flickering Images (Belle Schmidt) is a sweet, concise poem about love’s ability to transcend changing circumstances.
Transformation (Suzanne Lee) is a whimsical look at holiday dinnerware (appropriate to the season) with a lot to say about our relationship to things in general.
Climbing Down the Mountain (Katherine Valdez) is noteworthy, both for the raw honesty of the prose and for the straightforward explanation of the formerly inexplicable (Why would someone stay in an abusive relationship?)
Finally, Pinecone (David Sharp) is a funny, clever piece about the pros and cons of changing the past.
Some readers might find the anthology uneven. My emotional response to the work certainly varied, but that’s to be expected in such an inclusive work. Well-written, well-edited, I give this literary buffet five out of five stars.
Rabbit Hole Reviews 