Ashley Haynes

roo borson, Earth orchid.

Victoria: Deer mountain pages, 2022. $15.00.

Roo Borson’s chapbook, Earth Orchid, is a hauntingly beautiful collection of poems about the places one comes from and the simple experiences of living and growing. The poems are short and sweet, allowing the reader to go through them at their own pace and understanding.

The final poem in the collection, “Mouse Along the Beetline Trail” was my favourite. Borson writes:

            How is it that you’ve learned to fear me,

            whom I’ve never met before?

It is a genuine question that can be asked to both mouse and human. The curiosity of the author about life shines through in many of the poems and embodies a wonderful eagerness towards learning and expressing oneself in everyday moments.

Another poem I found significant was “Things One Doesn’t Tire of Watching.”. It is just as titled: things that people can witness over and over, yet never tire of. These observations are so specific, yet so relatable to those who actively sit and watch the world. As a writer, I connected with this poem because I also take a keen interest in watching the world and the often-overlooked things that happen in the day-to-day experience of living.

            The chair where he sat, angled just so, as though he’s only just risen from it.

            Someone entering the room with the bearing of a tall ship.

This passage reminded me of loss and new beginnings. It reminded me of sitting in a room once occupied by someone now lost, and of seeing how they still occupy some of the objects they left behind. The second line seems to call upon new introductions; it is meeting someone you know nothing about, but who will surely continue to make grand impressions upon your life.

This collection of poetry is wonderful and surprising, and is recommended for anyone looking for a quick and relaxing break from the rush of reality.

Ashley Haynes

is a fourth-year student in the Creative Writing & Publishing program at Sheridan College. Her interests include photography, art, nature, and dystopian literature. She enjoys books and films that require her to think critically. Ashley has had ten short stories and two poems published with Polar Expressions Publishing, two of which received honourable mentions for placing among the top ten. Currently, Ashley serves as the Event & Communications intern for The Ampersand Review where she strives to help build up the community that she loves.