Sunday, January 22, 2012
By STEPHANIE OTTEY
“Welcome ... Do Come In” is an aptly named book written by local poet Bridget E. Hill.
In this collection of poems, Hill bares her soul and welcomes readers to see into her mind.
A resident of Girard, Hill’s book was published in November 2010 through www.iUniverse.com.
“Welcome ... Do Come In” is a collection of 113 unnamed poems that are full of free-flowing thought and emotion, unbridled by fear or shame. Hill doesn’t adopt a specific, uniform meter or rhythmic form in her works, but instead writes simply and assuredly on a number of subjects that are clearly influential in her life.
With topics spanning from motherhood to flat soda, “Welcome ... Do Come In” has the potential in variety to connect to every reader at least once. There are poems inspired by the search for the meaning of life, feelings of insignificance, Christmas and whiskey.
A good portion of Hill’s poems focus on the angst of relationships. From envy and longing to passion and early love, Hill voices the highs and woes of love and caring. She shares about adultery, one-night stands and unrequited love with a bitter pessimism that is gritty but relatable. Hill boldly expresses feelings of loneliness, then she flips to describe fulfilling love.
In the book’s liner notes, Hill explains her choice to number the poems instead of title them. “Titles aren’t always inviting to the reader. In my opinion, the mystery of the unknown is quite intriguing,” she writes.
She continues to describe how she hopes readers will connect with her writing. “In order to identify with one of these poems, dive in head-first and dissect it. Analyze the symbolism to see if you can relate ... I hope that you will feel connected.”
While Hill’s broad range of topics can appeal to a wide audience, her use of language may not. Profanity accentuates a significant portion of Hill’s work, and some sexually forward poems appear in the book as well. Translated into movie terms, “Welcome ... Do Come In” is easily rated R, and sensitive readers should beware.
“Welcome ... Do Come In” is available in hardback for $24.95, in paperback for $14.95 and as an e-book for $9.99. It can be ordered through bookstore.iuniverse.com, Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.