What do you think?
Rate this book
the dust of hope: rune poems
Judy Croome’s latest collection of poetry returns to the ancient ways of the Nordic runes, to shine a light of hope and healing as we navigate through the wilderness of anxiety permeating these early years of the twenty-first century.
The simple verses console the reader with a calm acceptance that, even during a global pandemic, everyday life ebbs and flows with the natural rhythms of the timeless oceans.
Here are poems that invite us to stop, to breathe, and to see the world around us from a new perspective birthed within the centre of our souls.
The simple verses console the reader with a calm acceptance that, even during a global pandemic, everyday life ebbs and flows with the natural rhythms of the timeless oceans.
Here are poems that invite us to stop, to breathe, and to see the world around us from a new perspective birthed within the centre of our souls.
- GenresPoetry
150 pages, Paperback
Published September 8, 2021
6 people want to read
About the author
Judy Croome
13 books185 followersJudy Croome lives and writes in Johannesburg, South Africa. Judy loves cats, exploring the meaning of life, chocolate, cats, rainy days, ancient churches with their ancient graveyards, cats, meditation, and solitude. Oh, and cats. Judy loves cats (who already appear to have discovered the meaning of life.)
Writing as J A Croome, "The Sand People: a collection of magical realism and other stories" [Aztar Press, 2024] is also available.
Croome's fiction and poetry books "the dust of hope (rune poems)" (Aztar Press, 2021); "Drop by Drop (poems of loss) (Aztar Press, 2020); "a stranger in a strange land" (Aztar Press, 2015); “The Weight of a Feather & Other Stories” (Aztar Press, 2013), “a Lamp at Midday” (Aztar Press, 2012) and “Dancing in the Shadows of Love” (Aztar Press, 2018, 2012, 2011) are available.
Croome co-authored the non-fiction book "Street Smart Taxpayers (Juta Law, 2017) with her late husband Dr. Beric Croome.
Shortlisted in the African Writing Flash Fiction 2011 competition, Judy’s short stories, poems and articles have appeared in various magazines, anthologies and newspapers, such as The Sunday Times, The Huffington Post (USA) and the University of the Witwatersrand’s Itch Magazine. In 2021 and 2016, Judy was the poetry judge for the Writers2000 (South Africa) annual poetry competition and, in 2021, presented "The Gift of Poetry" to Writers2000 (South Africa).
Join her on Instagram @judy_croome or visit her on www.judycroome.com
Writing as J A Croome, "The Sand People: a collection of magical realism and other stories" [Aztar Press, 2024] is also available.
Croome's fiction and poetry books "the dust of hope (rune poems)" (Aztar Press, 2021); "Drop by Drop (poems of loss) (Aztar Press, 2020); "a stranger in a strange land" (Aztar Press, 2015); “The Weight of a Feather & Other Stories” (Aztar Press, 2013), “a Lamp at Midday” (Aztar Press, 2012) and “Dancing in the Shadows of Love” (Aztar Press, 2018, 2012, 2011) are available.
Croome co-authored the non-fiction book "Street Smart Taxpayers (Juta Law, 2017) with her late husband Dr. Beric Croome.
Shortlisted in the African Writing Flash Fiction 2011 competition, Judy’s short stories, poems and articles have appeared in various magazines, anthologies and newspapers, such as The Sunday Times, The Huffington Post (USA) and the University of the Witwatersrand’s Itch Magazine. In 2021 and 2016, Judy was the poetry judge for the Writers2000 (South Africa) annual poetry competition and, in 2021, presented "The Gift of Poetry" to Writers2000 (South Africa).
Join her on Instagram @judy_croome or visit her on www.judycroome.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 8, 2022
The Dust of Hope is a beautiful collection of poems inspired by the runes of the Elder Futhark. Two themes stood out for me: the pandemic and the loss of someone beloved. Almost right off the bat, emotions were evoked, and I could feel unshed tears at the back of my eyes.
"...a memory of infinity reminding me that--even as I sit in the darkness alone, isolated by the pandemic, your ashes scattered on the paths those eland walked--having once been wrapped in your love, I am still rich beyond compare." ('eland by the door')
Touching on the truth of this world and the realities of the pandemic. Our greed and inattentiveness (brains engulfed by cyberspace). The pack mentality (and those of us not part of the pack).
"...all those who clung together, once gaining strength and cruelty from their unity are kept apart, weakening with terror while we--the alienated, the outsiders--we're still alone with out strength and our souls that speak true, for we possess the gift of solitude and lock down is our home." ('speak true')
'when life returns to normal' being the "motto" of the pandemic. Yes!
"why would we want to...when normal was so skewed with unkindness and greed and corruption of power? if the bleak months of lockdown have taught us anything it would be: we must let go of the old normal and find undreamt of freedom in the fertile ground of fallow fields."
This collection is both thought provoking and soul stirring. Does it call us out? Yes, but humanity needs to hear it.
"...feeling like gods . will love turn to fear when we feel the first flick of tyranny, at that moment we first realise we've sold our souls to science" ('need-fire')
Highly recommended.
I received this book free of charge from the author. Thank you to Poetic Book Tours for inviting me to participate.
"...a memory of infinity reminding me that--even as I sit in the darkness alone, isolated by the pandemic, your ashes scattered on the paths those eland walked--having once been wrapped in your love, I am still rich beyond compare." ('eland by the door')
Touching on the truth of this world and the realities of the pandemic. Our greed and inattentiveness (brains engulfed by cyberspace). The pack mentality (and those of us not part of the pack).
"...all those who clung together, once gaining strength and cruelty from their unity are kept apart, weakening with terror while we--the alienated, the outsiders--we're still alone with out strength and our souls that speak true, for we possess the gift of solitude and lock down is our home." ('speak true')
'when life returns to normal' being the "motto" of the pandemic. Yes!
"why would we want to...when normal was so skewed with unkindness and greed and corruption of power? if the bleak months of lockdown have taught us anything it would be: we must let go of the old normal and find undreamt of freedom in the fertile ground of fallow fields."
This collection is both thought provoking and soul stirring. Does it call us out? Yes, but humanity needs to hear it.
"...feeling like gods . will love turn to fear when we feel the first flick of tyranny, at that moment we first realise we've sold our souls to science" ('need-fire')
Highly recommended.
I received this book free of charge from the author. Thank you to Poetic Book Tours for inviting me to participate.
Read
August 3, 2022Dust of Hope – Rune Poems by Judy Croome is such an interesting take on both poems and runes.
There are poems in here that do focus on being in lockdown and covid, but thankfully they weren’t too hard to read about. Especially since the pandemic is still in full swing.
The way this was laid out was so lovely – I adored the runes that were shown, and I felt like it really added something extra to this collection.
With the uniqueness of the rune poems, along with the poems themselves, I found myself flying through this one, completely enraptured from start to finish.
If you’re looking for a new poet in your life, I recommend checking this one out!
Thank you to Judy Croome for providing me with a digital copy of this poetry collection in exchange for an honest review.
There are poems in here that do focus on being in lockdown and covid, but thankfully they weren’t too hard to read about. Especially since the pandemic is still in full swing.
The way this was laid out was so lovely – I adored the runes that were shown, and I felt like it really added something extra to this collection.
With the uniqueness of the rune poems, along with the poems themselves, I found myself flying through this one, completely enraptured from start to finish.
If you’re looking for a new poet in your life, I recommend checking this one out!
Thank you to Judy Croome for providing me with a digital copy of this poetry collection in exchange for an honest review.
February 3, 2022
The Review
This was such an intriguing and captivating book of poetry. As someone who has been fascinated with mythology, ancient history and cultures, and the study of ancient belief systems, this book really spoke to me. The idea that each of the author’s poems represented an individual rune was so unique and was amazing to see connect with the author’s message and themes. The way the author was able to captured personal experiences and emotions they had been going through and tie them into the overall narrative of this collection was a brilliant sign of the author’s ability to invoke imagery and tone within her poems.
The balance the author struck between the representation of the ancient runes with the modern-day struggles both internally and externally we all face was perfectly captured. The eloquent yet powerful way the author captured the isolation and pain that the quarantine and COVID-19 Pandemic has caused over the last couple of years was not only relevant but emotionally hard-hitting and gave voice to an emotion we all have felt at one time or another over the last couple of years.
The Verdict
Heartfelt, beautifully written, and thoughtful in its approach, author Judy Croome’s “the dust of hope: rune poems” is a must-read book of poetry. The woven way the author brings together the personal experiences and emotions they hold with the magic and healing nature of the runes and their history made this such a calming and intuitive experience, and a wonderful read overall.
This was such an intriguing and captivating book of poetry. As someone who has been fascinated with mythology, ancient history and cultures, and the study of ancient belief systems, this book really spoke to me. The idea that each of the author’s poems represented an individual rune was so unique and was amazing to see connect with the author’s message and themes. The way the author was able to captured personal experiences and emotions they had been going through and tie them into the overall narrative of this collection was a brilliant sign of the author’s ability to invoke imagery and tone within her poems.
The balance the author struck between the representation of the ancient runes with the modern-day struggles both internally and externally we all face was perfectly captured. The eloquent yet powerful way the author captured the isolation and pain that the quarantine and COVID-19 Pandemic has caused over the last couple of years was not only relevant but emotionally hard-hitting and gave voice to an emotion we all have felt at one time or another over the last couple of years.
The Verdict
Heartfelt, beautifully written, and thoughtful in its approach, author Judy Croome’s “the dust of hope: rune poems” is a must-read book of poetry. The woven way the author brings together the personal experiences and emotions they hold with the magic and healing nature of the runes and their history made this such a calming and intuitive experience, and a wonderful read overall.
February 12, 2022
A wonderful collection of poems that I would definitely read over and over. They are pretty straight forward, not anything that you have to figure out, which is nice for a change with poetry.
Not all the poems, but quite a few of them reflect on "lockdown" during the Covid pandemic. These poems could really be about any loneliness, not just "lockdown or quarantine" so - easily relatable.
Some of these poems are very sad and others very encouraging. All of them - very good!
I voluntarily posted this review after receiving a copy of this book from "Poetic Book Tours" and the author - Thank You!
Not all the poems, but quite a few of them reflect on "lockdown" during the Covid pandemic. These poems could really be about any loneliness, not just "lockdown or quarantine" so - easily relatable.
Some of these poems are very sad and others very encouraging. All of them - very good!
I voluntarily posted this review after receiving a copy of this book from "Poetic Book Tours" and the author - Thank You!
December 9, 2021
This is a terrific book. I have never heard of a rune book. This is the first time I heard of such a thing. Each rune has a beautifully written poem. Each rune is drawn 2 different ways with different meaning. Beautiful book!!
I received a free copy of the book and is voluntarily writing a review
I received a free copy of the book and is voluntarily writing a review
September 22, 2021
Thought provoking and inspiring poems - interesting that each poem is linked to a rune stone. The new poems range over topics such as the pandemic and general life. Beautiful and lyrical, An easy comforting read.
December 12, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free from booksirens.com, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was an interesting combination of Norse mythology runes and processing the experience of COVID times. It was cool to see the runes interpreted for today.
This was an interesting combination of Norse mythology runes and processing the experience of COVID times. It was cool to see the runes interpreted for today.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews