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To Shatter Glass
Poems of pain and forgiveness, for those who struggle to find healing from a childhood marked by addiction
To Shatter Glass is essentially a memoir in poetic form, tracing seventy years of struggle and experience. In her early thirties, at the end of an abusive and childless marriage, Sister Sharon Hunter entered a modern convent. Neither sheltered nor immune from reality, she confronted demons of the past and trauma brought with her, unresolved and in need of healing. Her collection obliterates a common belief that men and women enter religious orders to escape life. Its fifty-six poems vary in style and capture the heart and imagination of those searching for straight answers to difficult questions. It touches on the need to know ourselves, to accept our humanity as defined by God, and to strive toward reconciliation through self-examination and forgiveness.
To Shatter Glass is an invitation to wholeness for those scarred by family alcoholism. It is written for the quiet and sensitive buried by depression, and for those who may be too afraid to expose their wounds. It is for anyone who has experienced betrayal or the loss of a loved one through tragic circumstances.
This is the first book in Paraclete's Iron Pen imprint. In the book of Job, a suffering man pours out his anguish to his Maker. From the depths of his pain, he reveals a trust in God's goodness that is stronger than his despair, giving humanity some of the most beautiful and poetic verses of all time. Paraclete's Iron Pen imprint is inspired by this spirit of unvarnished honesty and tenacious hope.
To Shatter Glass is essentially a memoir in poetic form, tracing seventy years of struggle and experience. In her early thirties, at the end of an abusive and childless marriage, Sister Sharon Hunter entered a modern convent. Neither sheltered nor immune from reality, she confronted demons of the past and trauma brought with her, unresolved and in need of healing. Her collection obliterates a common belief that men and women enter religious orders to escape life. Its fifty-six poems vary in style and capture the heart and imagination of those searching for straight answers to difficult questions. It touches on the need to know ourselves, to accept our humanity as defined by God, and to strive toward reconciliation through self-examination and forgiveness.
To Shatter Glass is an invitation to wholeness for those scarred by family alcoholism. It is written for the quiet and sensitive buried by depression, and for those who may be too afraid to expose their wounds. It is for anyone who has experienced betrayal or the loss of a loved one through tragic circumstances.
This is the first book in Paraclete's Iron Pen imprint. In the book of Job, a suffering man pours out his anguish to his Maker. From the depths of his pain, he reveals a trust in God's goodness that is stronger than his despair, giving humanity some of the most beautiful and poetic verses of all time. Paraclete's Iron Pen imprint is inspired by this spirit of unvarnished honesty and tenacious hope.
110 pages, Hardcover
Published September 21, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 14, 2021
Thank you for allowing me to review this book NetGalley.
I loved this collection of poems. Though a lot of it was quite painful, it was very relatable. My favorites were Et Invisibilium &
Litany of Know. I found myself in those poems. You know it’s good when you feel all sorts of emotions from a Poem, book and that’s what happened here. If you’re a lover of poetry like I am I highly recommend this collection.
I loved this collection of poems. Though a lot of it was quite painful, it was very relatable. My favorites were Et Invisibilium &
Litany of Know. I found myself in those poems. You know it’s good when you feel all sorts of emotions from a Poem, book and that’s what happened here. If you’re a lover of poetry like I am I highly recommend this collection.
July 2, 2021
To Shatter Glass
Poems
by Sister Sharon Hunter, CJ
Paraclete Press
Iron Pen
Biographies & Memoirs | Christian | Poetry
Pub Date 21 Sep 2021
I am reviewing a copy of To Shatter Glass through Paracalete Press/Iron Pen and Netgalley:
To Shattered Glass is at its essence a memoir in poetic form. It covers seventy years of struggle and experience. When she was in her early thirties and at the end of an abusive child.see marriage Sister Sharon Hunter entered a modern convent. Neither sheltered nor immune from reality, she confronted demons of the past and trauma brought with her, unresolved and in need of healing. Her collection obliterates a common belief that men and women enter religious orders to escape life. Its fifty-six poems vary in style and capture the heart and imagination of those searching for straight answers to difficult questions. This collection of poetry touches on the need to know ourselves, to accept our humanity as defined by God, and to strive toward reconciliation through self-examination and forgiveness.
To Shatter Glass is an invitation to wholeness for those scarred by family alcoholism. It is written for the quiet and sensitive buried by depression, and for those who may be too afraid to expose their wounds. It is for anyone who has experienced betrayal or the loss of a loved one through tragic circumstances.
I give To Shatter Glass five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
Poems
by Sister Sharon Hunter, CJ
Paraclete Press
Iron Pen
Biographies & Memoirs | Christian | Poetry
Pub Date 21 Sep 2021
I am reviewing a copy of To Shatter Glass through Paracalete Press/Iron Pen and Netgalley:
To Shattered Glass is at its essence a memoir in poetic form. It covers seventy years of struggle and experience. When she was in her early thirties and at the end of an abusive child.see marriage Sister Sharon Hunter entered a modern convent. Neither sheltered nor immune from reality, she confronted demons of the past and trauma brought with her, unresolved and in need of healing. Her collection obliterates a common belief that men and women enter religious orders to escape life. Its fifty-six poems vary in style and capture the heart and imagination of those searching for straight answers to difficult questions. This collection of poetry touches on the need to know ourselves, to accept our humanity as defined by God, and to strive toward reconciliation through self-examination and forgiveness.
To Shatter Glass is an invitation to wholeness for those scarred by family alcoholism. It is written for the quiet and sensitive buried by depression, and for those who may be too afraid to expose their wounds. It is for anyone who has experienced betrayal or the loss of a loved one through tragic circumstances.
I give To Shatter Glass five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
November 24, 2021
Words have untangling power, bringing perspective to our long journeys and making sense of the seemingly separate and unrelated episodes of success and struggle that comprise a life. Sister Sharon Hunter’s writing has roots in old wounds, and in To Shatter Glass, her lyrical poetic collection, she deals with “life’s fragments” in a sorting process that manages to be both stark and hopeful.
Her poems are interspersed with original art for a different kind of pondering and a beautiful option for gift giving and slow savoring. In the process of reading, I was challenged to remember that brokenness is one connection all humanity shares in common. It’s also a point of connection with Jesus who “came to us fragile, helpless, and surrounded by dangerous circumstances.” (23)
Hunter’s meditations give voice to the feelings surrounding depression, grief, evil, and broken dreams with the utter assurance that suffering serves our healing as it expands and brightens our interior light.
Many thanks to Paraclete Press for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty.
Her poems are interspersed with original art for a different kind of pondering and a beautiful option for gift giving and slow savoring. In the process of reading, I was challenged to remember that brokenness is one connection all humanity shares in common. It’s also a point of connection with Jesus who “came to us fragile, helpless, and surrounded by dangerous circumstances.” (23)
Hunter’s meditations give voice to the feelings surrounding depression, grief, evil, and broken dreams with the utter assurance that suffering serves our healing as it expands and brightens our interior light.
Many thanks to Paraclete Press for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty.
July 31, 2021
Thank you Netgalley for the arc and I am glad for this beautiful collection of poems. I loved every line and prose, it's so relatable, poetic and memorable.
The News Is Now Your Life
You hear it daily on the news.
Murder in the first degree
or perhaps the second.
Third or fourth,
what does it matter?
One murder. Multiple victims.
One dies, one lives, all suffer.
Murder is neither justifiable
nor rectifiable.
No further act fulfills the rage
of those left behind.
This is my favorite poem from this book. Enjoy!!!
The News Is Now Your Life
You hear it daily on the news.
Murder in the first degree
or perhaps the second.
Third or fourth,
what does it matter?
One murder. Multiple victims.
One dies, one lives, all suffer.
Murder is neither justifiable
nor rectifiable.
No further act fulfills the rage
of those left behind.
This is my favorite poem from this book. Enjoy!!!
September 9, 2021
To Shatter Glass was an amazing collection of poetry. If you are religious you definitely will enjoy this collection because it does reference the bible and God in some ways. Otherwise though, the descriptive language and rhyme scheme was really enjoyable. In fact I have actually read this collection twice before I wrote this review. For those who have been through trauma this is a calming collection! I highly recommend this collection all the way around!
September 21, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley for a free eARC copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review.
"To Shatter Glass" is beautiful. As someone with PTSD, I felt the pain and remembered the experiences. I also felt the hope and healing of the last bit of the book. Sharon has done so much healing to be able to write this poetry!
As an educator, I would suggest to undergraduate levels for psych, sociology, and religious studies.
"To Shatter Glass" is beautiful. As someone with PTSD, I felt the pain and remembered the experiences. I also felt the hope and healing of the last bit of the book. Sharon has done so much healing to be able to write this poetry!
As an educator, I would suggest to undergraduate levels for psych, sociology, and religious studies.
November 24, 2021
This book is classed as a biography/memoir and poetry which is a rather unique concept to pull off in a book. I feel like Sister Sharon Hunter did rather well at working the two different genres together, but this is definitely a poetry book versus a memoir.
The way that the Sister allowed her faith to infuse her work in different ways depending on the stage of her life was compelling.
Another excellent part of the book was the artwork that denoted the different sections of the book. They reminding me of melted wax artwork on display - absolutely stunning.
The way that the Sister allowed her faith to infuse her work in different ways depending on the stage of her life was compelling.
Another excellent part of the book was the artwork that denoted the different sections of the book. They reminding me of melted wax artwork on display - absolutely stunning.
September 27, 2021
Addiction. Depression. Grief. Abusive marriage. Then redemption, ending in “Light and Truth. FOREVER.”
This slim volume of poems required several days of reading. I had to pause frequently. I was so touched by Little Children of Adult Alcoholics, the children are “like cotton swabs mopping up a mud puddle.” I was horrified by the title Poem “To Shatter Glass.”
Thanks to Paraclete Press, Iron Pen and Netgalley for this sobering read.
This slim volume of poems required several days of reading. I had to pause frequently. I was so touched by Little Children of Adult Alcoholics, the children are “like cotton swabs mopping up a mud puddle.” I was horrified by the title Poem “To Shatter Glass.”
Thanks to Paraclete Press, Iron Pen and Netgalley for this sobering read.
August 23, 2021
Thank you for the e-arc!
*4.5/5 stars*
This book is a collection of beautiful poems.
The writing is loving and this is a quick read.
This read can also be a bit emotional, which I expected going into this book.
*4.5/5 stars*
This book is a collection of beautiful poems.
The writing is loving and this is a quick read.
This read can also be a bit emotional, which I expected going into this book.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews