By: Chrisoula Simos
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Woman of Tides is a book to be enjoyed and savoured. It is thoughtful, evocative, immersive and illuminating. The reader can enter its world at any page and the pieces will resonate as they take the reader through rich emotional and intellectual terrain.
Chrisoula Simos is a Melbourne-based poet who has had poetry published in the United States and Australia. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in literature and philosophy and a master’s degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). Her career has included working as a court reporter in the Supreme Court of Victoria, and a Hansard reporter and editor in Federal Parliament, Canberra. She is currently a teacher of English as a Second Language and English for Academic Purposes at RMIT University.
As a teenager, Chrisoula lived in Greece for two years, studying in Athens. This experience had a profound influence on her life, enriching her appreciation of the heritage, language and culture of Greece, and imbuing her with a love of travel.
Her first volume of poetry, Inner Landscapes Outer Realms, was published in 1992 in the United States.
Woman of Tides is her second major work.
Woman of Tides – a wonderful collection of poems by Chrisoula Simos – is one to be savoured again and again. Having just re-read it, I can see more clearly its appeal to the reader. These poems have been written over many years and some were published individually in various periodicals before finding their happy place in this collection. In a way, they represent a long narrative of an emotionally and intellectually rich life. As the title of the collection indicates, tides (and tidal waves) suggest the highs and lows of life. From her chapter headings, we also observe the passing of the seasons and the phases of the moon which people often believe affect our moods and spirits. From hope and optimism to loss and despair, and with all that is in-between, Simos' poetic language is one of clarity and lyricism. The clear images of landscapes that she evokes are memorable. So are the portraits of various characters who inhabit the narrative of this collection. As someone who has spent her life reading, teaching, editing and translating poetry, I am most impressed by this collection and recommend it as a most enriching reading experience.
Since acquiring it, I have had enormous pleasure in reading and savouring this anthology. The way Simos has organized these pieces is unique and very telling. By aligning her poems with the various phases and forces of the moon, she establishes a wonderful framework for each poem to nestle into. It also allows her to group the works in terms of theme and mood without being at all arbitrary because each piece is still self-contained. This means that one can read in sequence or randomly as a choice. I have done both. Like most poetry, for me, Simos is best read in quietude....and aloud. This allows full appreciation of her skills with regard to rhythms, alliteration, imagery, contrasts, surprises and the full force of her emotional intelligence. Especial standouts include the evocative 'Let Us Sit and Talk', 'Windows of the Sun' and 'When I Am Done'. The impact of her work is enhanced by the size, design and format of this collection. As a diverse reflection on what it's like to be creatively engaged with life in all of its vicissitudes, this collection will certainly stand the test of time.
A very insightful and thought provoking read. A very talented writer with a profound understanding of humanity and relationships.
