First Day.

Malca Litovitz died in April 2005, leaving a remarkable collection of poems interwoven with short prose pieces. These explain her brave acceptance in facing her first day in the next world. Her well-crafted poems use poignant details, ordinary details shown from her bias, so readers can experience her world: immersed in writing and Nature. The poem “Sabbath Longing” begins, “The poem takes my hand, leads me to my tree, / midnight blue this morning.” In “River Gift,” the tree “crooking its elbow” out the window joins in her pleasure: “The curtain covered in small flowers / blows in the sunlight; / we puff and bask / in each other’s air.”

Her strong faith in God, her family, and friends shines through in her praises of joy and thankfulness. “Song” is her words after Psalm 150, “Praise Him with our dancing feet, / our arms lifting heavy weights / and our hearts rising to greet / what is good in our lives—/ what is still painful—/.” Also in “Bestowal”: “I hold a seashell to my ear / and hear your voice / reading to me / of the substance of love / sealed in an envelope.” Again, in “Beauty to Tears,” her terse choice of words paint a picture: “Love-vow deepening / in the duet of dusk. / Onset of rain, / gentler than tears.” And as a lover’s twilight in “We are the violet encroachment / of the night.”

Her compelling images of teacups, flower scents, jazz floating by, and soft quilts are all seamlessly joined in soft rhythms. Her delicate touch creates watercolours of words.

This is a good gift book for those experiencing and/or facing loss, as Malca Litovitz’s poems offer solace and joy in today’s details of living. She shares love.