Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book.

I've been having a hard time with modern poetry these days these days and yet this worked for me. While the language is gentle and simple, there is still meaning in the way the words have been strung together.

A moving collection of poems exploring the human experience. The poems also celebrate love whilst examining grief. There are some really lovely and memorable passages in the collection as well as some poignant verses.

Jane Lightborne's "Bright Dust" brings on a range of emotions, many of which include grief, loss, and love.

Having read a lot of poetry and having a lot of friends who are poets, I love reading the different styles and approaches that each and every poet takes. Jane does a great job in this book of not making every poem about the same subject, as she has poems about relationships, situationships, potentially death (? at least that's what I picked up in a few poems), the spark of meeting someone new during the early death of a current relationship, her child, her love for the different seasons, and so on. As you can see, many different topics! Which I love! Because maybe it is all one topic described through imagery, or maybe it really *is* about a plethora of different things. Poetry can be subjective, and people take away different things, which is what makes it so great.

Finishing with my favorite poem from the book:

"Maybe the moon made you,
but I knew you as
sinew and bone,
a slice of sun as it shines on stone,
a diamond,
softened in the tender arms of
night."

4 stars. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this collection of poetry. Some of the poems resonated pretty deep and had me thinking about it hours later. It had a mix of all different scenarios and was easy to connect with. A very beautiful and easy read. Definitely recommend others check it out.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Lightbourne paints a beautifully heartbreaking world of love with her poetry.

This was such a lovely collection to read, one I will definitely return to time and time again.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I had the amazing privilege to read this book of poems 'Bright Dust' by Jane Lightbourne and I have to say, it's a delightful collection of poetry. Lightbourne's poems are not only beautiful but also simple, making it an easy and delicate read. I found myself easily relating to the poems due to her word choices, being able to connect to a lot of them on a emotional level, which is why I love poetry. The book is structured nicely with a mix of longer, two-page poems and shorter ones, allowing for a variety that can be enjoyed without needing to dedicate a lot of time.

The whimsical nature of Lightbourne's writing is captivating, and I especially love how she uses birds at times to convey deeper emotions in some of the poems. There were two particular poems in the book that really resonated with me. The first one, which made me stop and contemplate, can be found on page 87. The second one, which made me appreciate the time I've spent on this earth, in this fleeting thing we called life, is on page 103. They where beautiful, and simple leaving a lasting impact.

'Bright Dust' is the kind of poetry book you can carry in your bag and read a few pages throughout the day to bring some happiness into your life. It's a beautiful piece of work that truly speaks to the soul.

Though unlike other poetry books that are now being published that has small drawings and art within their pages. Lightbourne's does not, the pages are bare except for the words of the poem. I did not think I would like this, but I did very much. In a way in made it feel more raw, simple, and empty with clarity stripping the image aware and leaving only the words etched into your heart.

It was beautiful. Thank you.

Although the blurb says this is a book about love, it's not romantic. There are poems about being a caretaker or parent, poems about losing someone precious, poems about wanting to spend time with someone, and poems about pulling away. And there are others that I really can't categorize, but they're beautiful all the same. I found myself imagining flying free with songs on darkened wings, all knowing yet little seen, and holding in my hands a thousand suns. It was exhilarating. Of course, there were a few that meant nothing to me, but I found a high percentage to fall into, and that's what I look for in a satisfying book of poems. I'll certainly be pulling a few examples from this book when I teach poetry, but I'll also bring out a few of my favorites when I want a moment to think and feel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Poetry from another era - brief and flighty, think Blake and Dickinson.

I very much enjoyed this collection. It was a swift read.

Absolutely elegant, with a quiet grace.

The imagery conjured by these poems is a bittersweet sort of nostalgia, but I can't explain why or how. A quick enough read, but one that will be sticking with me far, far longer.

Lots of love poems, but not all romantic - this book explores the many many different kinds of love and I think everyone who reads it will be able to take away a little something worth while.

Wonderful. Wonderful in the sense that these lines are filled with wonder.
I can't explain how comforting I found this collection. There's a mature reassurance to the messages within the words. To me, it felt so nurturing, like an imparting of wisdom from a life well lived; a life that has experienced love and pain and beauty. Someone who has seen the world yet yearned for more. Truly beautiful and moving.

Nature, colour, life. Life, as Lightbourne explores love, grief, loss - the ageing years of life.

Wonderful. Wonderful in the sense that these lines are filled with wonder.
I can't explain how comforting I found this collection. There's a mature reassurance to the messages within the words. To me, it felt so nurturing, like an imparting of wisdom from a life well lived; a life that has experienced love and pain and beauty. Someone who has seen the world yet yearned for more. Truly beautiful and moving.

Nature, colour, life. Life, as Lightbourne explores love, grief, loss - the ageing years of life.

Sunflowers, Loss and The Gates of Heaven. I wonder why only two of these poems are titled? Is it to emphasise and highlight them to us? Or, perhaps, the others were simply too 'full' to title, Too full of heart to put a name to? Perhaps a significance to the number three. Something I pondered for a while. I guess that's the beauty of the poetry; interpretation.

Such beautiful & purposeful, thought provoking & emotive poetry.


Thank you so much for this ARC, what a real treat,

***Spoilers***
A few of my favourite lines...

🔹When you ask me how love comes,
I say you’ll find it in a poem

🔹Maybe the moon made you,
but I knew you as
sinew and bone

🔹The cradle lies empty ~
I fill it with my tears.

🔹Love comes,
soft as snowfall, to cover us

🔹as grass before
the fingers of
the wind.

🔹The river runs;
on its banks grow wildflowers
that bend their stems
to the seasons’ intent;
they whisper
‘it is time,
it is time.’

🔹Silence is one heart’s murmur,
the roar at the water’s edge

🔹where
you are,
am I.

This poetry collection was beautiful and haunting. I particularly loved the poem “Sunflowers”. This collection talked about love and loss and love again. The poem dedicated to their cat hit me in the feels too. If you’re in need of some poetry - this is the collection you need for some angsty mood reading.

Lightbourne’s writing invites contemplation, with each poem carefully crafted to provoke thought and evoke deep emotions. Bright Dust is a poignant exploration of the human experience, beautifully encapsulated in verses that linger in the mind long after reading.