Poetic reflections on the author’s actual experiences, the poems run the gamut from hilarious to heartbreaking and include subject matter as diverse as Howard Stern and conch salad. Although this collection of poetry frequently explores the dark side of life, it is nonetheless filled with gratitude and hope.
Stay on the Path
Morikami Gardens 10
Goddess Moon 11
Gray and Green 12
God Sent an Angel 13
Sand is a Lousy Place to Bury Your Head
Daydreaming of Retirement 17
Here’s How to Do It 18
Mindlessness 19
Ode to Howard Stern 20
Give Me a Slinky Any Day. 22
Good Boys, Bad Boys, Sad Boys
Richard’s Hat 25
The Custard Stand 26
Buster’s Evening Walk 28
He Used to Be My Baby 29
To a Fallen Angel 30
Sonnet to My Father 32
Listen Carefully for the Telltale Hiss
Survivors of Snake Bites 35
Adelaide’s Window 36
Heartache. 38
All Grown Up Now 39
The Telephone 40
Diamonds on the Tide
Reinvent Yourself 43
Gray Matters 44
Want Not 45
Flight of Rebirth 46
Today’s Plenty 47
I Was a Young, Silent Pauper
Restored to Its Original Beauty 51
To Hillary or Gretchen 52
Oh, Life 54
The Lighthouse Keeper 56
The Final Obstacle 57
He Isn’t Yours. 58
Shall I Let This Season Lead Me Deeper Into the Desert?
September 61
Surrender to Winter 62
The Flirting of February 63
Lent 64
Ode to Conch Salad 66
March Snowstorm 68
About the Author 69
About the Artist 69
Morikami Gardens
Every sound is hushed here:
The drizzle tapping the low
wide leaves of exotic plants,
the conversations in languages
at home thousands of miles away
from South Florida,
the crunching of sneakered feet
on the circular pebbled path.
Our hearts are soothed
in this haven of beauty
as we breathe deeply the perfume
of the lush foliage,
as we linger by miniature waterfalls
pooling into meticulous rock gardens,
as we cross ornate bridges spanning
lakes teeming with brilliant coy fish.
Our souls are soothed
as we pass carved wooden signs
along our way
reminding us simply to
STAY ON THE PATH.
Survivors of Snake Bites is a wonderful collection of poems by Sea Isle City poet Eva Feeley. Her thoughts and insights are carefully crafted in her poetry and a delight to read. I particularly enjoyed the poem she chose as the title of the book, the frustration she expresses in "To a Fallen Angel" and the great humor in "Ode to Howard Stern." All are a pleasure to read and reread!
Pat Haughey
This lovely collection speaks to the heart; with moments of joy, warmth, family foible, fun, and fancy. I loved the colors and the sounds of the sea that wash from many of the poems. More than that, I found myself going back again and again to a phrase, a fragment that brought a new insight into a universal reality; a baby at play, the smile of a loved one, walking with a beloved dog. She catches them all. Thank you Eva, for your poetry and for your gift of being!
Paula Amar Schwartz
As lifelong poetry readers, my wife's and my approach to Survivors of Snake Bites was somewhat jaded by skepticism about the likely literary level of a local product, andwe were delighted by this book's splendidly vivid imagery, presented in a succession of twists and turns and surprises, with candor and humor and even some gently brave human pathos. It's a keeper.
Gerald and Patricia Haughey
Eva Feeley is a writer and teacher of poetry and memoir. She shares her passion for these genres through lectures, conference presentations, readings and workshops. She is the author of Listen to Me, Young Lady: A Guidebook through Womanhood. Eva and her husband reside on the beautiful barrier island of Sea Isle City, New Jersey. You can contact Eva at seaisleeva@hotrnail.com.