John Trimmer

Traces of Wonder: Poems of life and loss and pebbles on the shoreline where they cross John Trimmer

This collection of poems was written over the course of a few years, when substantial changes were occurring both in the world and in the author's own life. The COVID-19 pandemic hit, altering much about how we lived our lives and bringing the taste of loss more prominently into our everyday experience. In the same period, the author moved from the United States to Nairobi, Kenya - a move which highlighted new perspectives and ideas to explore.

This book is divided into five sections. The first, Poems, acts as a short introduction and focuses on the act of writing poetry. The second, Of Life, examines numerous facets of life in different parts of the world, including the isolation experienced during the pandemic. The third, And Loss, considers multiple forms of loss, concentrating most heavily on transitions from life to death but also exploring other types, such as the destruction of natural environments. The fourth, And Pebbles on the Shoreline, contains shorter poems on a variety of topics, each hinting at the hidden depths contained within ourselves and the world around us - even in the things that seem small and insignificant. The fifth and final section, Where They Cross, dives into those depths to explore the wonder we can find within all these elements of life, loss, and the love that connects them all. Often, we may see only traces, little pieces of the whole - but the more we look, the fuller the picture may become. And, in the end, we gaze in wonder at that which was always present, but which we never saw before.