Dance With Your Heart
Tales and Poems That the Heart Tells

Shirley Cheng

6/30/2005 general fiction, book review, Dance With Your Heart Tales and Poems That the Heart Tells, Shirley Cheng, poetry, Jandy's Reading Room

Review by Molly

Dance With Your Heart Tales and Poems That the Heart Tells is a publication of poetry and prose wherein the table of contents offers a mix of titles such as ‘Free the Magic,’ ‘One Petal Falls,’ and ‘The Greedy Cat’ for reader endorsement and satisfaction.  ‘Mary Miller, the Elusive Lady,’ is a whimsical, quixotic tale told on three pages.  ‘Be On Our Way’ is a delicate verse composition of love.  ‘The Colors of the Rainbow’ offer the reader an awareness for the colors of the rainbow together with the author’s grasp of God’s intention.

An assortment of succinct tales and verse Dance With Your Heart Tales and Poems That the Heart Tells has been assembled carefully by writer/poet Shirley Cheng.  Cheng is a young woman who has faced well-nigh overwhelming personal misfortune from early childhood and has managed to grow stronger despite facing adversity that often causes those with less faith or determination to falter and give up.

Poetry interspersed with the short prose narratives includes: ‘Wonders of Nature,’ ‘Memories,’ and ‘One Petal Falls,’ as well as one I particularly enjoyed ‘Life of Autumn and Winter,’ with its description of fall leaves and winter snows.  ‘Love in the Air,’ is a light, ethereal offering.  ‘The Sounds I Hear,’ is an especially touching read, “I hear all this in my heart, which hears : My heart speaks and I listen, for I am deaf.”

Fiction anecdotes are fanciful, quick reads filled with delicate prose, settings portrayed in vivid detail and entertaining characters. ‘Firey Passion’ is a love story with a twist, ‘Trapped in Panic,’ is a poignant read with a clear lesson to be learned, while ‘The Gift of Uniqueness,’ offers optimism in a narrative about creatures not often thought of except in a fleeting manner.

Dance With Your Heart Tales and Poems That the Heart Tells is an agreeable mixture of verse composition and prose each meant to awaken the spirit, give rise to laughter and bliss and enlighten the reader a bit about life.  While most of the anecdotes appear simple on the surface each also offers a message cleverly woven into the tale.  Each of the works; reverie, illumination and exultation offered are a pleasure to read. Writer Cheng is an intriguing woman who has a grasp for what is important and sets about to get it all down on paper for everyone to enjoy. This is an excellent choice for the home pleasure library, the home school curriculum as well as the public school classroom.

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