The Beautiful Keeps Breathing
Claire Coenen's The Beautiful Keeps Breathing is like a hidden cluster of ripe blueberries on a summer's day, bursting with emotional sweetness. Whether it's the "plumpness" of a mourning dove or the "shimmering" sweat on a summer afternoon; or from the fearless bloom of dogwoods to the discussions shared on a porch swing, each poem is a journey through the heart's magical garden of Coenen's tender gaze — inviting readers to savour the beauty and depth in everyday moments. This poetry collection is structured in the three sections pertaining to the main components of meditative breathing; inhale, hold, exhale — in an attempt to provide its readers with a yoga session for the mind.
Through Coenen's lyrical prose, readers are transported to sun-dappled meadows, where the scent of honeysuckle hangs in the air and the gentle rustle of leaves whispers secrets of the heart. From the innocence of childhood summers spent picking blueberries to the bittersweet nostalgia of lost loved ones, Coenen's poetry resonates with a profound sense of authenticity and grace. With a touch as light as a morning glory's bloom and as profound as an oak's roots, and with verses that shimmer with imagery as vibrant as "the blue irises shine" and "the dewdrop's symmetry," Coenen lets us into the rich hues of her poetic landscapes.
Similarly, her work captures the relentless ebb and flow of human emotions, where "lightning bolts and tornadoes" cannot permanently mar the sky of the self. She navigates through personal reflections with a candid honesty, acknowledging the inevitability of disappointment and the festering of "angst" like "kudzu vines." Yet, within these lines, there is also a profound sense of resilience and transformation. Each poem is an alchemical process, turning "bitterness” into “cocoa," and embodying the cyclical nature of suffering and healing.
In the third section, exhale, Coenen's poetry blossoms like wildflowers in an untamed field, each verse a vibrant petal drenched in the rawness of self-discovery. Her words, echoing "rumbling red African sunsets" and "tawny eagle wings," capture the essence of breaking free from the chains of societal expectations. Coenen's poetry leaps and dances with the "incorrect creatures" of imagination, celebrating the messy, imperfect beauty of reclaiming one's true voice. Her verses roar with the grace of warthogs and elephants, and the “tawny wings” of eagles, all unbound by the constraints of traditional form. Coenen masterfully juxtaposes the chaos and beauty of life, embracing both the failures and their triumphs that come with it. All in all, Coenen's collection is a celebration of nature, memory, and human connection, making it a truly enchanting read.
