{"id":27516,"date":"2022-12-01T01:10:39","date_gmt":"2022-12-01T05:10:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/?p=27516"},"modified":"2022-11-29T20:46:04","modified_gmt":"2022-11-30T00:46:04","slug":"book-review-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2022\/12\/01\/book-review-19\/","title":{"rendered":"Book Review \u2013 What the Wild Replied: Poems From Human Nature by Becky Hemsley"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: x-large;\"><b><span lang=\"en-US\">Book <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">R<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">eview<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<h1><strong style=\"font-size: 16px;\"><span style=\"color: #111111; font-family: Liberation Serif, serif; font-size: x-large;\">What the Wild Replied:<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n<h1><strong style=\"font-size: 16px;\"><span style=\"color: #111111; font-family: Liberation Serif, serif; font-size: x-large;\">Poems from Human Nature<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n<h1><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: x-large;\"><b><span lang=\"en-US\">by Becky Hemsley<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><b><\/b><\/h1>\n<h1><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: x-large;\"><b><span lang=\"en-US\">Publisher: Wildmark Publishing<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<h1><b style=\"font-size: x-large; font-family: 'Liberation Serif', serif; color: #111111;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">199 <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">P<\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">ages<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/h1>\n<h1><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: x-large;\"><b><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><span style=\"color: #111111;\">Release Date<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">: September 20, 2022<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-27517\" src=\"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/51jpPZkRsSL-241x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"201\" height=\"250\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/51jpPZkRsSL-241x300.jpg 241w, https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/51jpPZkRsSL.jpg 401w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">From the publisher:\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><em><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><strong>What the Wild Replied<\/strong> is the second poetry collection from Becky Hemsley, author of popular poem <strong>&#8216;Breathe&#8217;<\/strong> which featured in her first book <strong>&#8216;Talking to the Wild&#8217;.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><em><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><strong>What the Wild Replied<\/strong> takes us through the four seasons from the perspective of human nature. It looks at how we navigate our own winters and embrace our own summers, how we let go during our own autumns and seize the opportunities of our own springtime. It includes poems of hope, healing and help. Designed as a manual for our soul in every season &#8211; and every stage &#8211; of our life, <strong>What the Wild Replied<\/strong> has one main theme; to help us love, understand, forgive and be kind to ourselves and to others. Life can be difficult and overwhelming sometimes, but <strong>What the Wild Replied<\/strong> reminds us that we&#8217;ve got this. We are enough.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Becky Hemsley took the internet by storm a year ago with her poem <em>Breathe<\/em>. She spoke for so many of us. It was as if she saw to the deepest depths of our beings. I read it and I printed it out for my scrapbook. It was me!! I found her on social media and followed her. I have been following her since then.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-27518 size-full alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/il_fullxfull.3392149227_f0aj.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"1414\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/il_fullxfull.3392149227_f0aj.webp 1414w, https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/il_fullxfull.3392149227_f0aj-212x300.webp 212w, https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/il_fullxfull.3392149227_f0aj-724x1024.webp 724w, https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/il_fullxfull.3392149227_f0aj-768x1086.webp 768w, https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/il_fullxfull.3392149227_f0aj-1086x1536.webp 1086w, https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/il_fullxfull.3392149227_f0aj-150x211.webp 150w, https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/il_fullxfull.3392149227_f0aj-1140x1612.webp 1140w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1414px) 100vw, 1414px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">She published her first volume of poetry <em>\u201cTalking to The Wild\u201d<\/em> and it was a bestseller. She published a second volume in September of 2022 <em>\u201cWhat the Wild Replied\u201d<\/em>. I have both volumes. Both are most excellent. She does spoken versions as well on Facebook and TikTok.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">\u201cWe all have our sunny days and our storms. We all know what it\u2019s like for things to feel a little dark and we enjoy those times when things feel light and bright. We grow, we rest, we let go and we reap what we sow. Just as the world around us does.\u201d (Hemsley, Becky. <em>What the Wild Replied: Poems from Human Nature<\/em>)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">She explains that in this book, she has done some requests &#8211; \u201cAfter my first book, I started posting and reciting many of my poems on social media and I began to get requests for topics to write about. Some have been quite general (a poem about navigating the teenage years for example) and some were very specific. Where there have been specific requests, I have included a note before the poems as they appear in this book. Whilst general poems tend to be more self-explanatory (you\u2019ll know the teenage years poem as soon as you read it), others could be a little confusing without context, hence the explanations.\u201d (Hemsley, Becky. <em>What the Wild Replied: Poems from Human Nature<\/em>)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">The contents of this book are divided into four seasons \u2013 winter, spring, summer, and autumn \u2013 not necessarily as they progress outside your window but more as they progress in your life. As humans, we are as cyclical in nature as our Earth Mother is and just as unpredictable at times. You may be going through a time of winter while someone else is enjoying a summery interlude. Well, so it is with the Earth also. Different locales have different weather. Variety is the spice of life \u2013 like a child with a 64-color box of Crayola crayons \u2013 who knows what she is going to color next? So it is with life sometimes. I think you will find something in each and every section of Becky&#8217;s book that speaks directly to YOU.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">She also has the most wonderful black-and-white photographs and line drawings that accompany her poetry. There are also some color pictures.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><strong>The Seasons:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><strong>Winter<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">storms, cold, bleakness, darkness, persevering, challenges, resting, grief<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Requests in this section:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Poems for: anxiety\/worry, healing from trauma, post-natal depression, domestic abuse\/violence, to comfort someone with stage 4 cancer and bipolar, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, losing a loved one to addiction<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><strong>Spring<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">new beginnings, discoveries, breakthroughs, hope, making way, emerging, progress, trusting, overcoming<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Poems for: those affected the war in Ukraine, poems written during the Covid lock down<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Request in this section: baptism\/christening\/ baby shower<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><strong>Summer<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">bright, thriving, confidence, full realisation, reaping rewards, celebrating, embracing<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">This is only a part of the poem <em>\u201cEnglish Rose\u201d<\/em>:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><em><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">\u201cshe was an English rose they said<br \/>\nwith beauty quite unmatched<br \/>\nbut when they looked more closely<br \/>\nthey were quite taken aback<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><em><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">for they were met with two sides \u2013<br \/>\nfragile petals, wild thorns<br \/>\nhalf gentleness and daintiness<br \/>\nhalf hurricanes and storms<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><em><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">but what they didn\u2019t realise<br \/>\nwas her thorns were only there<br \/>\nto stand as her protection<br \/>\nagainst those who didn\u2019t care\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">(Hemsley, Becky. <em>What the Wild Replied: Poems from Human Nature<\/em>)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">and this is an excerpt from <em>\u201cWriting History\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><em><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">\u201cwhen Rosa Parks refused to move<br \/>\nhow much did she weigh?<br \/>\nhow tall was Rosalind Franklin<br \/>\nwhen she studied DNA?<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><em><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">when Emmeline Pankhurst died<br \/>\ndid people talk about her hair?<br \/>\nand when Amelia Earhart flew<br \/>\nwhat make-up did she wear?<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><em><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">what size were Mary Seacole\u2019s clothes<br \/>\nthe day she went to war?<br \/>\nis Marie Curie\u2019s face the thing<br \/>\nthat she\u2019s most famous for?<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><em><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">when Ruby Bridges walked to school,<br \/>\nwhen Anne Frank wrote her life,<br \/>\nwhen we watched the constant courage<br \/>\nof Malala Yousafzai<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><em><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">the world was being changed<br \/>\nby every step and every word<br \/>\nby each and every action<br \/>\nthat ensured those words were heard\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">(Hemsley, Becky. <em>What the Wild Replied: Poems from Human Nature<\/em>).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Someone requested a follow-up to a poem from the first book called &#8216;Inside Story&#8217; about a book that was loved only for its beautiful story. Also requested was a love story between a wolf and a rabbit. There is a poem written for the England Lionesses, the English Football (soccer) team before a European tournament.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><strong>Autumn<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">letting go, change, preparing, slowing down, acceptance, moving on, loss, reflecting<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Requests: Grief, pet loss, a poem about a soldier&#8217;s guilt upon returning from service having lost fellow soldiers in the field<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">This chapter has a lot about grieving, about letting go but it isn&#8217;t all sadness. This is a part of the poem <em>&#8216;Wild&#8217;<\/em>:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><em><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">\u201cyou\u2019re a wildflower darling<br \/>\nyou cannot be tamed<br \/>\nthey recognise your beauty<br \/>\nthough they do not know your name<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><em><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">you sing a song of sunshine,<br \/>\nbefriend butterflies and bees<br \/>\nyou dance amongst the grasses<br \/>\nand you sleep beneath the trees<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><em><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">you\u2019re bright but unassuming<br \/>\nyou are delicate yet tough<br \/>\nyou\u2019re rooted but you\u2019re ready<br \/>\nfor when winds of change do come<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><em><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">and they meet you in the forest<br \/>\nand they\u2019ll marvel at the way<br \/>\nyou remind them of their childhood<br \/>\nand easy, carefree days\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">(Hemsley, Becky. <em>What the Wild Replied: Poems from Human Nature<\/em>)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">To sum it up, I would say that she covers just about every emotion! If you have not discovered Becky Hemsley&#8217;s poetry, do yourself a favor and go to your bookseller and buy a volume. <em>\u201cTalking to the Wild\u201d<\/em> and <em>\u201cWhat the Wild Replied\u201d<\/em> are both available and both are excellent. They are available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book version. As I have the e-book version, I can say it is very affordable. I plan to get the paperback of both books.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">About the author:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">In her own words: <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">\u201cHi I\u2019m Becky! I have been writing poetry for years now, but only last year did I become brave enough to start sharing it with people (I\u2019d shared it before that but only anonymously or with friends and family \u2013 who feel obliged to say they like it regardless!) I live in Leicestershire, UK with my husband, our two boys and our very old dog \u2013 a beagle called Misty. I used to be a primary school teacher and still enjoy delivering poetry writing workshops in schools across the country. I adore dancing and singing along to musical theatre soundtracks at the top of my voice on long car journeys (other passengers don\u2019t love this so much). My favourite thing to do is to create memories with the people that mean the most to me and my favourite season is Autumn because it gives me an excuse to wear chunky knits, drink too many take-away cappuccinos and make my house smell of orange and cinnamon. Maybe this is because I\u2019m a very late-August baby and so life began in Autumn for me! This is my second book. My first book \u2018Talking to the Wild\u2019 is available on Amazon worldwide or on my Etsy store (also available worldwide). Future projects include more writing (of course), audio books\/ audio recordings of both my books, more products (prints, postcards, notebooks, calendars etc), a children\u2019s book of the poem \u2018Breathe\u2019, school workshops and the launch of my YouTube channel where I am hoping to have my poems animated. I am always available through the channels listed at the beginning of the book and this is where there will be updates of any new projects, collaborations etc. Come and say hi! And finally\u2026 THANK YOU for being a part of this incredible journey with me! Your support is beyond appreciated. Becky x\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Becky says:<br \/>\n<em>If there is anything in particular you would like to hear from me, you can find \u2013 and contact \u2013 me at the following places:<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Email:<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"> <a href=\"mailto:info@beckyhemsley.com\">info@beckyhemsley.com<\/a><\/span><br \/>\nFacebook: <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/talkingtothewild\">Becky Hemsley \u2013 Talking to the Wild<\/a><\/span><br \/>\nInstagram: @talkingtothewild<br \/>\nTik Tok: <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@talkingtothewild\">@talkingtothewild<\/a><\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Twitter: @talking2wild<br \/>\nPinterest: Becky Hemsley<br \/>\nEtsy Shop: <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.etsy.com\/shop\/TalkingtotheWild\">Talking to the Wild<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-27517\" src=\"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/51jpPZkRsSL-241x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"100\" height=\"125\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/51jpPZkRsSL-241x300.jpg 241w, https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/51jpPZkRsSL.jpg 401w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/1739824539\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1739824539&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=paganpages-20&amp;linkId=b46040d92e1b3405372781c412354bd9\">What the Wild Replied: Poems from Human Nature on Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"western\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>**<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"western\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>About the Author:<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"western\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Katy Ravensong<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-26745\" src=\"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/katy-ravensong-208x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"208\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/katy-ravensong-208x300.png 208w, https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/katy-ravensong.png 262w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 208px) 100vw, 208px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><strong>Katy Ravensong<\/strong> is a practicing green witch in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. She was raised here where she ran barefoot &amp; free. She is a wife, mother, grandmother, voracious reader, crocheter, and amateur herbalist. She glories in the freedom that comes with being a Crone ~ when she is gone, she will not be known as a woman who could keep her mouth shut! She is disabled, yet tries to make disability work for her. She is an advocate for human rights. She is Dean of Wortcunning and Assistant Dean of Natural Philosophy at The Grey School of Wizardry. She has studied with various herbal teachers, with Witch School International, with Avalonian Institute of Metaphysical Arts, and is a priestess with the Sisters of Earthsong, Order of the White Moon. Her poetry has been featured in several publications including &#8216;Pagan Poetry for the Festivals and Seasons&#8217; by Wyrdwood Publications edited by Edain Duguay, 2008. Her favorite quote is from Emily Dickinson \u201cIf I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain. If I can ease one life the aching or cool one pain or help one fainting robin unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Book Review What the Wild Replied: Poems from Human Nature by Becky Hemsley Publisher: Wildmark Publishing 199 Pages Release Date: September 20, 2022 &nbsp; &nbsp; From the publisher:\u00a0 What the Wild Replied is the second poetry collection from Becky Hemsley, author of popular poem &#8216;Breathe&#8217; which featured in her first book &#8216;Talking to the Wild&#8217;. What the Wild Replied takes us through the four seasons from the perspective of human nature. It looks at how we navigate our own winters and embrace our own summers, how we let go during our own autumns and seize the opportunities of our own springtime. It includes poems of hope, healing and help. Designed as a manual for our soul in every season &#8211; and every stage &#8211; of our life, What the Wild Replied has one main theme; to help us love, understand, forgive and be kind to ourselves and to others. Life can be difficult and overwhelming sometimes, but What the Wild Replied reminds us that we&#8217;ve got this. We are enough. Becky Hemsley took the internet by storm a year ago with her poem Breathe. She spoke for so many of us. It was as if she saw to the deepest depths of our beings. I read it and I printed it out for my scrapbook. It was me!! I found her on social media and followed her. I have been following her since then. She published her first volume of poetry \u201cTalking to The Wild\u201d and it was a bestseller. She published a second volume in September of 2022 \u201cWhat the Wild Replied\u201d. I have both volumes. Both are most excellent. She does spoken versions as well on Facebook and TikTok. \u201cWe all have our sunny days and our storms. We all know what it\u2019s like for things to feel a little dark and we enjoy those times when things feel light and bright. We grow, we rest, we let go and we reap what we sow. Just as the world around us does.\u201d (Hemsley, Becky. What the Wild Replied: Poems from Human Nature) She explains that in this book, she has done some requests &#8211; \u201cAfter my first book, I started posting and reciting many of my poems on social media and I began to get requests for topics to write about. Some have been quite general (a poem about navigating the teenage years for example) and some were very specific. Where there have been specific requests, I have included a note before the poems as they appear in this book. Whilst general poems tend to be more self-explanatory (you\u2019ll know the teenage years poem as soon as you read it), others could be a little confusing without context, hence the explanations.\u201d (Hemsley, Becky. What the Wild Replied: Poems from Human Nature) The contents of this book are divided into four seasons \u2013 winter, spring, summer, and autumn \u2013 not necessarily as they progress outside your window but more as they progress in your life. As humans, we are as cyclical in nature as our Earth Mother is and just as unpredictable at times. You may be going through a time of winter while someone else is enjoying a summery interlude. Well, so it is with the Earth also. Different locales have different weather. Variety is the spice of life \u2013 like a child with a 64-color box of Crayola crayons \u2013 who knows what she is going to color next? So it is with life sometimes. I think you will find something in each and every section of Becky&#8217;s book that speaks directly to YOU. She also has the most wonderful black-and-white photographs and line drawings that accompany her poetry. There are also some color pictures. The Seasons: Winter storms, cold, bleakness, darkness, persevering, challenges, resting, grief Requests in this section: Poems for: anxiety\/worry, healing from trauma, post-natal depression, domestic abuse\/violence, to comfort someone with stage 4 cancer and bipolar, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, losing a loved one to addiction Spring new beginnings, discoveries, breakthroughs, hope, making way, emerging, progress, trusting, overcoming Poems for: those affected the war in Ukraine, poems written during the Covid lock down Request in this section: baptism\/christening\/ baby shower Summer bright, thriving, confidence, full realisation, reaping rewards, celebrating, embracing This is only a part of the poem \u201cEnglish Rose\u201d: \u201cshe was an English rose they said with beauty quite unmatched but when they looked more closely they were quite taken aback for they were met with two sides \u2013 fragile petals, wild thorns half gentleness and daintiness half hurricanes and storms but what they didn\u2019t realise was her thorns were only there to stand as her protection against those who didn\u2019t care\u201d (Hemsley, Becky. What the Wild Replied: Poems from Human Nature) and this is an excerpt from \u201cWriting History\u201d \u201cwhen Rosa Parks refused to move how much did she weigh? how tall was Rosalind Franklin when she studied DNA? when Emmeline Pankhurst died did people talk about her hair? and when Amelia Earhart flew what make-up did she wear? what size were Mary Seacole\u2019s clothes the day she went to war? is Marie Curie\u2019s face the thing that she\u2019s most famous for? when Ruby Bridges walked to school, when Anne Frank wrote her life, when we watched the constant courage of Malala Yousafzai the world was being changed by every step and every word by each and every action that ensured those words were heard\u201d (Hemsley, Becky. What the Wild Replied: Poems from Human Nature). Someone requested a follow-up to a poem from the first book called &#8216;Inside Story&#8217; about a book that was loved only for its beautiful story. Also requested was a love story between a wolf and a rabbit. There is a poem written for the England Lionesses, the English Football (soccer) team before a European tournament. Autumn letting go, change, preparing, slowing down, acceptance, moving on, loss, reflecting Requests: Grief, pet loss, a poem about a soldier&#8217;s guilt upon returning from service having lost fellow soldiers in the field This chapter has a lot about grieving, about letting go but it isn&#8217;t all sadness. This is a part of the poem &#8216;Wild&#8217;: \u201cyou\u2019re a wildflower darling you cannot be tamed they recognise your beauty though they do not know your name you sing a song of sunshine, befriend butterflies and bees you dance amongst the grasses and you sleep beneath the trees you\u2019re bright but unassuming you are delicate yet tough you\u2019re rooted but you\u2019re ready for when winds of change do come and they meet you in the forest and they\u2019ll marvel at the way you remind them of their childhood and easy, carefree days\u201d (Hemsley, Becky. What the Wild Replied: Poems from Human Nature) To sum it up, I would say that she covers just about every emotion! If you have not discovered Becky Hemsley&#8217;s poetry, do yourself a favor and go to your bookseller and buy a volume. \u201cTalking to the Wild\u201d and \u201cWhat the Wild Replied\u201d are both available and both are excellent. They are available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book version. As I have the e-book version, I can say it is very affordable. I plan to get the paperback of both books. About the author: In her own words: \u201cHi I\u2019m Becky! I have been writing poetry for years now, but only last year did I become brave enough to start sharing it with people (I\u2019d shared it before that but only anonymously or with friends and family \u2013 who feel obliged to say they like it regardless!) I live in Leicestershire, UK with my husband, our two boys and our very old dog \u2013 a beagle called Misty. I used to be a primary school teacher and still enjoy delivering poetry writing workshops in schools across the country. I adore dancing and singing along to musical theatre soundtracks at the top of my voice on long car journeys (other passengers don\u2019t love this so much). My favourite thing to do is to create memories with the people that mean the most to me and my favourite season is Autumn because it gives me an excuse to wear chunky knits, drink too many take-away cappuccinos and make my house smell of orange and cinnamon. Maybe this is because I\u2019m a very late-August baby and so life began in Autumn for me! This is my second book. My first book \u2018Talking to the Wild\u2019 is available on Amazon worldwide or on my Etsy store (also available worldwide). Future projects include more writing (of course), audio books\/ audio recordings of both my books, more products (prints, postcards, notebooks, calendars etc), a children\u2019s book of the poem \u2018Breathe\u2019, school workshops and the launch of my YouTube channel where I am hoping to have my poems animated. I am always available through the channels listed at the beginning of the book and this is where there will be updates of any new projects, collaborations etc. Come and say hi! And finally\u2026 THANK YOU for being a part of this incredible journey with me! Your support is beyond appreciated. Becky x\u201d Becky says: If there is anything in particular you would like to hear from me, you can find \u2013 and contact \u2013 me at the following places: Email: info@beckyhemsley.com Facebook: Becky Hemsley \u2013 Talking to the Wild Instagram: @talkingtothewild Tik Tok: @talkingtothewild Twitter: @talking2wild Pinterest: Becky Hemsley Etsy Shop: Talking to the Wild &nbsp; What the Wild Replied: Poems from Human Nature on Amazon &nbsp; ** About the Author: Katy Ravensong Katy Ravensong is a practicing green witch in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. She was raised here where she ran barefoot &amp; free. She is a wife, mother, grandmother, voracious reader, crocheter, and amateur herbalist. She glories in the freedom that comes with being a Crone ~ when she is gone, she will not be known as a woman who could keep her mouth shut! She is disabled, yet tries to make disability work for her. She is an advocate for human rights. She is Dean of Wortcunning and Assistant Dean of Natural Philosophy at The Grey School of Wizardry. She has studied with various herbal teachers, with Witch School International, with Avalonian Institute of Metaphysical Arts, and is a priestess with the Sisters of Earthsong, Order of the White Moon. Her poetry has been featured in several publications including &#8216;Pagan Poetry for the Festivals and Seasons&#8217; by Wyrdwood Publications edited by Edain Duguay, 2008. Her favorite quote is from Emily Dickinson \u201cIf I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain. If I can ease one life the aching or cool one pain or help one fainting robin unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":276,"featured_media":27517,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":1,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10005],"tags":[14200,10095,10015,14201,10774,10227,10075,14199],"class_list":["post-27516","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reviews","tag-becky-hemsley","tag-book","tag-book-review","tag-human-nature","tag-nature","tag-poetry","tag-review","tag-what-the-wild-replied"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27516","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/276"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27516"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27516\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27530,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27516\/revisions\/27530"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27517"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27516"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27516"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27516"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}