Book Signing At The Library—

Poet /Naturalist Polly Brody To Read From ‘The Burning Bush’

Onetime Newtown resident and lifelong conservationist Polly Brody will be reading and signing her latest book of poetry on Sunday, October 16, at 3 pm, at the Booth Library.

The soft-cover, 88-page book titled The Burning Bush was published in June 2005 and is being sold for $17. It is the second full volume of poetry by Ms Brody, following her 1999 release of Other Nations.

In the first poem titled “As The Twig Is Bent,” Ms Brody describes herself as a country woman who was raised on the lore of field and forest and whose early environmental sensibilities were shaped by reading the bedtime stories written by Thornton W. Burgess.

“How effortlessly I learned the relationship between predator and prey –– made clear in a nonpejorative fashion,” Ms Brody recalls, describing how such beloved characters as Reddy Fox, Johnny Chuck, and Hooty the Owl displayed charm and humor as they went about their lives, simply doing what comes naturally in the Green Forest and the Shining Pool.

Various subjects are introduced in chapter form with essays and poems interlaced. Topics range from archaeology, bird behavior, aging and the effects of Alzheimer’s disease to rain forests and evolution.

A portrayal of safari life moves to a meditation on natural wonders great and small, as Ms Brody brings into play her training as a biologist and her passion for ornithology.

A copy of The Burning Bush has been donated to the Booth Library and copies are available directly from the publisher (www.AntrimHouseBooks.com; telephone 860-217-0023) and the author (send an email to berylline33@yahoo.com).

The public is invited to help celebrate Ms Brody’s latest success and enjoy light refreshments. Call the library at 426-4533 to RSVP.