Helena Harper
I've taught as a modern languages teacher for 20 years, but have always enjoyed writing - primarily short, fantasy stories for children, but in the past few years I've also discovered the joys of writing poetry for adults - and my first two books, 'IT'S A TEACHER'S LIFE...!' and 'FAMILY AND MORE - ENEMIES OR FRIENDS?', are collections of poetry....
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I've taught as a modern languages teacher for 20 years, but have always enjoyed writing - primarily short, fantasy stories for children, but in the past few years I've also discovered the joys of writing poetry for adults - and my first two books, 'IT'S A TEACHER'S LIFE...!' and 'FAMILY AND MORE - ENEMIES OR FRIENDS?', are collections of poetry. You can find out much more on My Shelfari Author page, where you'll find Bookbuzzr widgets for both my books with extracts, reviews, media mentions, purchasing info and much more. The information below will give you a flavour of what you can find on My Shelfari Author page, but not in such a neat, modern and interesting format!
'IT'S A TEACHER'S LIFE...!' (no prizes for guessing why I wrote that!) is available from Amazon, and if you ever read it, it would be wonderful if you could write a review! The links for the book are below.
http://tiny.cc/6xdms (amazon.com)
http://tiny.cc/Dm3ek (amazon.co.uk)
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Review by Don Blankenship, Top 100 Reviewer on amazon.com: 5.0 out of 5 stars A WORK WITH FEELING, February 28, 2009
"Free verse has become a universal mode for expressing thoughts, feelings, reality and unreality for many. Some writers write very bad verse (I find myself in this category), while others have mastered its form and are able to use it as a sharp tool, a soft pillow for pleasing landings and most importantly, sharing the many little pieces of their world with others. Helena Harper is quite obviously one of those with the skill and the feelings to accomplish the last mentioned.
“It's A Teacher's Life” is a small volume of free verse telling her story; her experiences and her thoughts during the time she taught at an all girls school in England. Now I judge poetry, in any form, by a few simple standards. First, is the author conveying her or his true feelings about and for the subject being addressed? Secondly, does the subject touch me; can I relate to what the author is trying to tell me. Thirdly, does the author use metaphors and similes that are realistic?
Fortunately for me, and for all of us, Ms Harper has fulfilled each of my requirements and given us an understandable work that most of us can perfectly relate to, even if all of us are not in the teaching profession. I have to admit that without exception I enjoyed each of the twenty offerings in this wonderful little book. As I read each piece, I could actually feel the happiness, frustrations, and indeed a twinge of anger and sadness here and there. Her obvious love for the children comes through, as well as her rather sardonic, caustic and realistic view of many of them, and her complete confusion and non-acceptance of many of the modern "things" that fill our lives is also shown. Her impatience with the mundane meetings, parents that to a certain extent make life difficult for both teacher and child, and the endless institutional requirements is quite apparent. Readers should not expect that each and every image presented here is a "happy' little glimpse into the life of a teacher, there are very realistic and rather whimsical "down" moments.
The teachers feed off the food
and the words of thanks
that fall occasionally from
pupils' and parents' lips.
These scraps of appreciation
satisfying momentarily
While thoughts of doing
something worthwhile
surface - though just temporarily -
until fatigue overwhelms
and drives the teachers home...
The meager morsels of gratitude
becoming rarer each year,
yet somehow teachers survive
on this diet of starvation
for year after year...
Read these lines well. While we find here the words of a very dedicated individual, we also pick up just a bit of justifiable bitterness. Again, these words touched me, they communicated and I could relate; I could feel. On the other hand, there are many light moments expressed in this work to which I could also relate. That is one of the strong aspects of this collection as a whole; we get a taste of both the up and of the down. I must warn you though; due to the small size of the little volume and the author's propensity to use, at first glance, to use simple and easly understood language, a reader may be tempted to rip through this one. That is a big mistake as there is much more here than meets the eye!
This is a wonderful collection of poems that were written from the heart. This work would be an absolute wonderful gift for any teacher in your life; it would be a wonderful gift and read for anyone wishing to understand not only teachers, but all people who dedicate their lives to service.
Love this small glimpse into a remarkable woman's life, and I do hope more is to follow.
Don Blankenship
The Ozarks"
==========================================================================
'FAMILY AND MORE - ENEMIES OR FRIENDS?' is a collection of poems about the people who've had a big influence on my life and the lessons I've learned from them. It has been heavily influenced by the fact that I have both German and English relatives (my mother being German and my father being English - they met in Germany after WWII, when my father was stationed there as part of the British occupationary force). This second book is an ebook and is available from my publishers: www.eloquentbooks.com/Familyandmore.html
You can find extensive extracts from both collections on my website: www.helenaharper.com
You can also check out my blog at http://helenaharpersblog.blogspot.com
====================================================================== « less
'IT'S A TEACHER'S LIFE...!' (no prizes for guessing why I wrote that!) is available from Amazon, and if you ever read it, it would be wonderful if you could write a review! The links for the book are below.
http://tiny.cc/6xdms (amazon.com)
http://tiny.cc/Dm3ek (amazon.co.uk)
========================================================================
Review by Don Blankenship, Top 100 Reviewer on amazon.com: 5.0 out of 5 stars A WORK WITH FEELING, February 28, 2009
"Free verse has become a universal mode for expressing thoughts, feelings, reality and unreality for many. Some writers write very bad verse (I find myself in this category), while others have mastered its form and are able to use it as a sharp tool, a soft pillow for pleasing landings and most importantly, sharing the many little pieces of their world with others. Helena Harper is quite obviously one of those with the skill and the feelings to accomplish the last mentioned.
“It's A Teacher's Life” is a small volume of free verse telling her story; her experiences and her thoughts during the time she taught at an all girls school in England. Now I judge poetry, in any form, by a few simple standards. First, is the author conveying her or his true feelings about and for the subject being addressed? Secondly, does the subject touch me; can I relate to what the author is trying to tell me. Thirdly, does the author use metaphors and similes that are realistic?
Fortunately for me, and for all of us, Ms Harper has fulfilled each of my requirements and given us an understandable work that most of us can perfectly relate to, even if all of us are not in the teaching profession. I have to admit that without exception I enjoyed each of the twenty offerings in this wonderful little book. As I read each piece, I could actually feel the happiness, frustrations, and indeed a twinge of anger and sadness here and there. Her obvious love for the children comes through, as well as her rather sardonic, caustic and realistic view of many of them, and her complete confusion and non-acceptance of many of the modern "things" that fill our lives is also shown. Her impatience with the mundane meetings, parents that to a certain extent make life difficult for both teacher and child, and the endless institutional requirements is quite apparent. Readers should not expect that each and every image presented here is a "happy' little glimpse into the life of a teacher, there are very realistic and rather whimsical "down" moments.
The teachers feed off the food
and the words of thanks
that fall occasionally from
pupils' and parents' lips.
These scraps of appreciation
satisfying momentarily
While thoughts of doing
something worthwhile
surface - though just temporarily -
until fatigue overwhelms
and drives the teachers home...
The meager morsels of gratitude
becoming rarer each year,
yet somehow teachers survive
on this diet of starvation
for year after year...
Read these lines well. While we find here the words of a very dedicated individual, we also pick up just a bit of justifiable bitterness. Again, these words touched me, they communicated and I could relate; I could feel. On the other hand, there are many light moments expressed in this work to which I could also relate. That is one of the strong aspects of this collection as a whole; we get a taste of both the up and of the down. I must warn you though; due to the small size of the little volume and the author's propensity to use, at first glance, to use simple and easly understood language, a reader may be tempted to rip through this one. That is a big mistake as there is much more here than meets the eye!
This is a wonderful collection of poems that were written from the heart. This work would be an absolute wonderful gift for any teacher in your life; it would be a wonderful gift and read for anyone wishing to understand not only teachers, but all people who dedicate their lives to service.
Love this small glimpse into a remarkable woman's life, and I do hope more is to follow.
Don Blankenship
The Ozarks"
==========================================================================
'FAMILY AND MORE - ENEMIES OR FRIENDS?' is a collection of poems about the people who've had a big influence on my life and the lessons I've learned from them. It has been heavily influenced by the fact that I have both German and English relatives (my mother being German and my father being English - they met in Germany after WWII, when my father was stationed there as part of the British occupationary force). This second book is an ebook and is available from my publishers: www.eloquentbooks.com/Familyandmore.html
You can find extensive extracts from both collections on my website: www.helenaharper.com
You can also check out my blog at http://helenaharpersblog.blogspot.com
====================================================================== « less
- Woking, Su, UK
- member since January 31 2009
