This week, author Hermene Hartman Chicago’s Publishing Giant, selected eBooks2Go for e-publication of her book: Love Moods: A Collection of Contemporary Love Poems. Ms. Hartman has graciously written a blog post with her thoughts, writing process, and how she writes poetry. We are so grateful for her contribution.
Love Moods. . .
-By Hermene Hartman
Love Moods is a book of contemporary romantic love poetry. This is a perfect gift of love for Valentine’s Day.These word portraits of raw emotion are shared with beautiful, glamorous sometimes-exotic photos of women revealing a story of love. The women know no color, no age, no place. They women know love like marriage, couple, forgotten, relationship, friendship, conflict, respect, sisterhood, romance and passion .The poems are thoughtful, sometimes sexy and ask provocative questions like, How Would You Like Your World Today?
I am a student of the written word. Poetry and often song lyrics are pure emotional expressions. My uncle, Johnny Hartman, a jazz singer cherished lyrics that told a story, usually a love story. From listening to him and hearing how he chose his music, I became keen on lyrics that are really poetry set to music. The lyrics of George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Marvin Gaye and Cole Porter are poetic. Listening to jazz voices, – like Nancy Wilson, Jill Scott, Dionne Warwick, Sarah Vaughn, Arthur Prysock, Freddy Cole, Natalie Cole, Dinah Washington – is listening to poetry set to music. Their tales are musical love stories.
I wrote poetry for my husband when he traveled. Sometimes there was a poem packed in his suitcase as a surprise when he unpacked. Time and again, there was a poem on the pillow when he returned from a trip, so that he knew he was missed. I wrote the poems because I was in love.
We divorced after ten years of marriage. The poems went into a folder and sat in a file cabinet for many years. I stopped writing poetry. And then, I fell in love again. Poetry writing returned. I didn’t realize that my writing poetry was very much associated with my romantic state.
I wasn’t looking for him, but indeed I was unknowingly waiting. I was ready to be in love again. I wanted to write a poem and leave it on the pillow, once more. Love Moods in a book for women who have been barefoot in love.
As I have shared these poems with friends, they all wanted a copy. They selected their favorites. One evening after a couple of glasses of champagne a friend asked, why haven’t you written a poetry book. A book was born then and there.
It time to rejoice in love again, to speak straight from the heart. Happy Valentine’s Day
Choose your favorite poem, read it out loud to your mate and toast with a glass of champagne.