by Maxine Tynes

This is a book of poetry by a Black woman from Nova Scotia. Maxine Tynes says her poems "are great shouts of the joy that I feel and share."

This is a part of one of her poems.

Womanquest
reaching out and
reaching in
to all the women
that we are
to all the women
that we could be.
What of the woman
who is Black, and reaching?
What of the woman
who is poor, and homeless?
What of the woman
who is Native, and of the First People?

Some of the poems are harder to read than others and some women may not understand all of the words. But most of them have strong, clear language and very visual imagery. They are wonderful to read out loud.

Borrowed Beauty is a good book for women to use who want to understand what poetry can be. It can help them see how they can write poetry - or are writing poetry.

There is only one photo - of Maxine Tynes on the cover. Women may want to find other photos and pictures to put with some of the poems. If some of the poems are taken out of the book and put on posters, women may find themselves reading them out loud.

A review by the Halifax Working Group, Halifax, N.S.