Phantom Joy - by Cindy Mitchell Appleby (Paperback)

About the Book

Dive into 'Phantom Joy' by Cindy Mitchell Appleby, where narrative poems weave tales of family legacy, Southern traditions, and poignant reflections on life's moments.

Book Synopsis

Step into the heartfelt world of Phantom Joy by Cindy Mitchell Appleby, a collection of narrative poems that illuminate the beauty and complexity of everyday life through the lens of family and memory. Spanning poignant reflections on Southern heritage, the poems chronicle intimate moments and rituals passed down through generations. From the nostalgic embrace of childhood homes to the tender legacy of familial bonds, each poem resonates with authenticity and emotional depth. Appleby's lyrical verses capture the essence of Southern life, celebrating the resilience found in cherished traditions and the enduring power of love. 'Phantom Joy' invites readers to journey through landscapes of reminiscence, where each poem is a testament to the transformative power of storytelling and the enduring legacy of those who shape our lives.

Review Quotes

This luminous collection is a meditation on the sacred search for home, a story unique to the author that easily leaves the door cracked for the reader to enter their own house of memory. Appleby beautifully weaves together visions of people and places and objects that become touchstones for a life well lived. Her voice is both tender and fierce, courageous in looking backward and forward, outward and inward.

-April Nance, author of Crossings and Carnation, published in The Great Smokies Review and Yes, this and Walking during a Pandemic, published in The Dewdrop

Cindy Appleby gives us much to contemplate and cherish as her poems travel from the observations of an adoring granddaughter and her Southern childhood-"She wrapped our sneakers in Wonder Bread bags so we could play in the snow"-to motherhood and musings of happiness, fulfillment, and home. Appleby thrills us with turns of phrases like "I run down the beach of my childhood," that leave us with lasting images and pierce our souls.

-Nicole Farmer, author of Wet Underbelly Wind and Honest Sonnets: memories from an unorthodox childhood in verse