It’s been a while since I featured poetry here on Linda’s Book Bag and I’m delighted to remedy that today with my review of On the Occasion of a Wedding by Ollie Bowen. My enormous thanks to Ollie for sending me a copy of her collection, written as a wedding gift to friends, in return for an honest review.

On the Occasion of a Wedding is available for purchase here.

On the Occasion of a Wedding

On the Occasion of a Wedding is a collection of poetry celebrating what it means to truly love another person. From the soulfully simple to the humorously erotic. From the deeply spiritual to the painfully profound.

Composed as a wedding gift for a dear friend, the book is divided into four chapters, each blending a variety of literary styles.

• Flores Caelesti (heavenly flowers)
• Caelo Marique (sky and sea)
• Amor Insanus (crazy love)
• Pluit et Lucet (rains and shines)

Readers are taken on a heartfelt journey through love’s blessings, joys, and tears. Because it is the sting of love that makes it so beautiful.

My Review of On the Occasion of a Wedding

What could be better as a wedding gift than a collection of love poems?

On the Occasion of a Wedding is an incredible volume of poems to which I don’t think my reader brain or this review can do justice.

On one level, all the poems in On the Occasion of a Wedding can be enjoyed relatively easily and superficially for the beauty of their appearance, their rhythms and cadences alongside some wonderful illustrations and for their ease of accessibility. On other occasions I found I had to think hard to understand their meaning and references. This is by no means a criticism but an extra joy in reading and discovering something new to me. I had no idea what the Zaimph of Tanit was, for example, and scurried off to the great god Google to find out. As a result, not only have I enjoyed beautiful imagery, clever structure and moving imagery in the poems in On the Occasion of a Wedding, but I have learned something new along the way so that this slim volume has kept me entertained, moved and educated for hours more than the initial reading of its contents and the size of the volume might suggest.

It’s difficult to convey how much there is to enjoy in On the Occasion of a Wedding. I found Ollie Bowen’s writing emotional, funny and sensual and I adored the natural images that pepper the verse. I kept changing my mind about which poem I liked the most because every time I went back to reread them I found something new, innovative or mystical to contemplate. The simplicity of Everything I thought was beautiful and I genuinely think I’d like to have Quando read at my husband’s funeral (assuming he dies before me some time in the distant future!).

In a sense, I shouldn’t be reviewing On The Occasion of a Wedding as I don’t feel I’ve finished reading it. I’ve certainly read each poem at least three or four times, but I have only scratched the surface of their meanings and I feel I have so much more to discover as I return to Ollie Bowen’s writing time and again. I can only recommend that you read On the Occasion of a Wedding too and see if you can do it more justice than I have!

About Ollie Bowen

Ollie bowen is an author and scholar.

She holds degrees in education, business, and science, though her favorite subject is rhetorical argument.

She currently resides in Northern California with her one husband, plethora of children, and semi-loyal dog.

You can find find Ollie on Instagram and Pinterest or follow her on Twitter @olliebowenbooks and visit her website for more information.