Extraordinary Sunshine Weaver

Zaneta Varnado Johns’ book, “Encore: A Collection of Poetry”, is a book for the soul of humanity. As I read the poems, I felt my heart open and expand. She begins in Part One with “Whispers and Romances”, which celebrates sensual love and the sense of love as it manifests in oneness, safety, hope, faith, and other gifts of the spirit. The metaphors of dance and night waltzes run through some of the poems. Love and passion move together and make life brighter and freer. The earth is treasured; our faith, stronger.

In Part Two: “Essences”, the poet “lives, breathes” and celebrates” life, God, her home and refuge. One key message is that we have “enough” love, humility, trust, laughter, imagination, to name a few cherished gifts. Family, love, an authentic life, and selfless acts create our beauty. Mother Earth blesses and replenishes us. In “My Walk Along the Ocean”, the poet exclaims “Aloha consumes me/ I exalt with utmost gratitude.” In “Fall Upon Us” God recognizes the generous and kind soul. This part of the collection also examines what love isn’t. “Love’s intentions are/ mostly admirable/ but can be illusion with/ great effect”.

In the section “In Awe”, the poet honors family members, friends, role models, death, and loss. In one poem, the family steps in when a young relative is orphaned. Some poems are eulogies, and the ones about the poet’s mother are touching. Some poems rejoice in reunions and anniversaries. The themes of unconditional love and gratitude mark the poems.

In “Short and Sweet”, the poems expand the readers’ vision to the beyond. The poet calls us outside ourselves to ponder our boundaries. That is, how long will we live? “How many tomorrows/ and pages will I fill/ How many wounded/ hearts may I help heal?” Opening up to unconditional love isn’t easy, so we may need a shield. However, faith propels us onward over “the/ rainbow- / God’s promise”. In this section, there is a call to action to do good. The poems are written to manifest healing mental illness, pain, loneliness, homelessness, and all things hurtful. For example, in “Wishful Thinking”, she writes, “Hurting hearts/ healed/ Mental illness/ mended.” Setting boundaries for personal care may be necessary.

In “Rants and Spiels”, the poet addresses the hard topics of social unrest, gun violence, racism, greed, hunger, the harm of hate, and other social and political ills. She makes a poetic call for action: “May our expressions/ be the answer/ May our voices be/ the healer.” Love, kindness, and compassion are the tools. Hate is a disease. We must be resilient. “Tenacity is our/ weapon.” One of the many powerful poems is the poem about teaching her son how to act in the presence of the police. “No mother should have to/ worry/ about her child with the police// After all, don’t/ we pay them/ to be officers of/ the peace!”

In “Keynotes”, the poet calls for all poets to speak out and tell others’ stories. “We rejoice because/ we’re on a mission/ Our lyrics enhance the/ human condition.”

I highly recommend “Encore: A Collection of Poetry”. Zaneta Varnado Johns eloquently expresses many concerns I have about our world. As a poet myself, I hope to speak up even more to spread others’ stories and to share love, kindness, compassion, and other gifts of spirit.