Sometimes...: poems

This book of poems, each of which begins with the word “sometimes,” celebrates our world and those who dwell upon it. Every poem is a love song to the things we too often forget to praise, from books to stars, from our earliest ancestors to a colorful garden at a seniors co-op. Eschewing sweeping statements and dark confessions, Sometimes ... reminds us that poetry can be a vehicle of fun.

Among the themes Breckenridge explores are warring hummingbirds, garden shade, the odd and fascinating words you come upon in the OED, the challenges of winter in Minnesota, wearing CuddleDuds to a party (nobody noticed), getting the flu, brushing your teeth, home videos, chicken noodle soup, the friendship of women, the survival of bees, memory loss, and the pleasures of classical music.

In one poem Jill praises her own “heroic” back, shaped like a question mark; though “not strong enough to carry a handful of cotton balls,” it carries her through “this adventure we call life.” In another poem she describes how a great sadness sweeps over her: “The moon rises red, as / darkness slowly blankets / the field, ripe with corn.” She counsels us not to concern ourselves over much with possessions, which will likely end up in a garage sale: “… don't waste your/ time dusting what you own or/ cradling cotton around jewels / in a drawer because one day....”

There is wisdom and also a lot of fun in these crisp expressions of appreciation for the things that make life worth living.