Customer Reviews:

• "Wow! I was extremely impressed with the poetry of Prairie Clippings. I knew it would be good, but I didn't realize it would be so professionally written. I love good poetry, but I am pretty difficult to please, and I loved every one of the poems. The author really knows how to make a person "feel" as if they are taking part of the poem. So many memories came as I read about different scenes from life. All I can say is WOW!" - Matt Black

• "Prairie Clippings is a wonderful collection of poems that transports the reader back to a time when life was simple and nature prevailed. It moves my soul everytime I read it. I'm thrilled to see the poems displayed in such a fine manner by Shadow publishing and Marie." - Shawn Chouinard

• "Very impressed with Cheri's chapbook Prairie Clippings.... great work, didn't know what to expect but am definately more than pleased.... WANT TO SEE MORE !!" - Rose Arnswald

• "I thoroughly enjoyed the poetry book Prairie Clippings. This author is a marvelous new discovery. Such talent deserves a BRAVO!" - Sue Wesensten

• "I was very moved reading this book. I felt as though I were moved to another time and place. Cheri keep up the good work; good poetry writers are hard to find. Your GREAT..." - Gini Johnson

• "I always knew you were a great writer, but your book of poems really proves it...LOVED IT!!!!" - Beverly Adams

• "Cheri's poetry has truly transported me to those prairies, forests, ponds, dunes, and other places of which she writes. She has awakened moments in my memory when a sound, sight, or fragrance imbedded themselves in my heart. I find myself in another world whenever I open this wonderful little book. Then there are the heart-wrenching poems that could only have been written by one who has known great sorrow as well as great joy. She has said it all. Thank you, Cheri!" - Penny Lord

• "Prairie Clippings is a collection of poetry written, for the most part, in two classical Japanese poetry forms that are reminiscent of the ever popular haiku verses. The poems offer few abstract thoughts or general observations. The poet seems content, rather, to capture a moment in time and for a suspended second, present it to her reader. The charm of the presentation is that she does this so well. Each little verse is replete with imagery and implications that capture a single instance in the confides of a few syllables that, in turn, exploit the senses and stir the emotions of the reader.

I especially liked the poem "Heartstrings." It has a heart felt simplicity that is couched in gem-like brilliance:

Families scattered
blown by warm rose-scented winds. . .
Form begins its transformation into formulation.

to all four corners
of the earth and some above,
Impressions are shaded into experiences.

heartstrings keep them together.
Images and ideas meld together to flow flawlessly as a varied collage of material and experience blends into a pattern of sights, sounds and sensations.

Another of my favorites from this collection is "Road To Nowhere." It shapes a diverse collection of energy and thought into one idea that evokes a wealth of associations.

Peaceful solitude
intrinsic to our spirits
lost in pensive thought
standing on the edge of time
the road to nowhere special.

Through clever verbal orchestration and the manipulation of vivid imagery the poet shares an interrupted instant in time, offers a nostalgic glance to the past and briefly lifts the curtain for a peek toward the inevitability of the future.

The strength of this poetry lies in its ability to transcend its own limitations. The poet is able to confine word pictures of textured hues and vibrant colors within the limits of a very restrictive and demanding verse form. She does this with an abbreviated eloquence and a deceptive simplicity that allows each reader to experience -- and invites him or her to share -- very personal, poignant and intimate feelings and emotions.

In a time when poetry seems take on so many vague shapes and hollow forms it is refreshing to read the work of a creative craftsman who balances proportion with perspective to create meaning. In Prairie Clippings Ms. Ahner demonstrates her mastery of an extremely restrictive verse form along with her God-given ability to "see the world in a grain of sand and eternity in an hour."

The book is well illustrated and easy to read. Its incremental layers of meaning and progressive planes of interpretation give it flexibility and scope. A twelve-year-old could read and enjoy this collection. For poetry lovers of all ages it's a must! Highly recommended." - Billie Houston: Book Review for The Blue Iris Journal