Squall Line on the Horizon

Pris Campbell has taken her lyrical skills into the realm of Tanka and owns it. Over 13 centuries old, this Japanese form, often referred to as “small songs”, are poetry of thought, feeling and personal reflection. Using symbolic, metaphorical and imaginative language, the author explores the passion, love and ultimate loss of a never-forgotten first love shaped and affected by the Vietnam War. These poems are courageous, honest and sensual and pay homage not only to her first-love, but her last, and in between, the sanctuary of the family. The poet’s love of the sea is woven throughout the book. As the title suggests, “Squall Line on the Horizon” reflects a poet who bravely addresses the past as a means to understanding the present, with eyes firmly kept on the horizon.