Stripped is a collection of poetry congruent to that of an onion. With a multitude of layers, the reader is sure to find one or more poems that speaks directly to them. There are stories of a mother stripped of a her child, the vain stripped of beauty and youth, a woman stripped of purpose, the proud stripped of dignity, a family stripped of their home, a nation stripped of security, and lovers stripped of their hearts. On a lighter side, there is playful verse about strippers, souls stripped of inhibition, and even the private portrayal of a woman stripping for her man.
It all starts with a dedication poem. Take a peek and find yourself (or someone you know). But don't stop there. Take this book and breathe in the portraits of mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, friends, lovers, and strangers.
Because in the end, we are all connected, and we are all, at one time or another, stripped.
About the Author
Shawn Aveningo
saveningo
Northern California
Shawn Aveningo grew up in St Louis, Missouri, has lived throughout various area of the United States and Germany, is married, and has a son and identical twin daughters. Through the years she has enjoyed diverse careers in software development, consulting, sales and real estate, as well as volunteered in the local schools and her community.
Her writing voice offers a unique blend of social justice, humor, poignancy and sensuality. She believes that poetry should be enjoyed by everyone, not just crafty wordsmiths and scholars. She writes in a way that can be enjoyed by a diverse audience, but also delivers more complex and clever surprises for those willing to ponder and explore for a while. She was recently voted one of THE BEST POETS in the 2009 Sacramento News & Review Reader Poll. You can see more of her work in The Rattlesnake Review, WTF, PoetryNow, Survivor’s Review, POETZ, Medusa’s Kitchen, or catch her at Poetry Unplugged. You can email her at poeticallyurs@yahoo.com.
Publish Date September 11, 2009
Dimensions Pocket 72 pgs
Black and White printing (on cream uncoated paper)
Category Poetry
Tags poetry, stripped, mother, daughter, father, family, loss, death, mourning, greed, love, spouses, lovers, strippers, uninhibited, foreclosure, security, faith, dignity, rape, fear
Comments
saveningo says
Review by Luke Warm Water, Lakota Poet/Author:
“In this collection, Shawn Aveningo has stripped beyond flesh (also clothing covering skin) straight to the bone, painting over with words of lust, pain, sexuality, disease; combined for final picture of truths. On death beds, in love lost and in love, these poems bite to the core of realism. Suck in these poems of tragic beauty from the suburban hot housewife song.”
Luke Warm Water, Lakota Poet/Author
posted at 05:35pm Sep 15 PST
saveningo says
Review by Gene Bloom, Poet, Author:
“Shawn, who I do not take lightly, is equitable to stock market parlance, "A market mover", in this collection, ranging from sensitive material (evocative loss) to positive hope, and then to lustful ecstasy. Her vivid imagination, familial responsibility, life observances and sensuality is so often apparent as you can read for yourself.
She is fairly new to the Sacramento poetry scene; and her recent emergence I liken to a helium filled balloon rising higher and higher. She is ripe fruit, tasteful and colorful in her language, leading you on her poetic trail…and towards the end, exploding in your ear with tasteful simple eloquence. Nothing abstract or tedious, .. and sometimes, when she lets her hair down, outrageous lustful ecstasy thrown in to let you know that she's all woman.
Her imagery is supple and evocative. Great character study, clear deliberate thought of self and others; as in the poem, "Corsets", the last line, which reads, "Hoping my hourglass hasn't run out of time" To wit, as all of us have contemplated often, as time ages us.
Her choice of poems for "Stripped" range from homespun to erotically sensual.. She is a full breathing voice that begs to be heard, radiating an understanding of delight, when she strips away the armor of masked "self consuming pain”, showing her vulnerability, which is a true poet’s mission I feel.”
Gene Bloom, Poet/Author
posted at 05:34pm Sep 15 PST