Book Review: Flights of Fancy by Dawn Haffaker

Flights of Fancy
Dawn L. Huffaker
Lulu (October 15, 2009)
978-0557089192

Flights of Fancy is a collection of poetry representing New Mexico poet Dawn Huffaker’s best work from the past twenty-five years.

The author has divided the ninety or so selections into six chapters, or flights, as she calls them. Straight away it is apparent that Huffaker loves nature, her friends, and her family and of course the New Mexico Mountains, as all have inspired her creations.

In the first flight entitled Magical Seasons, sixteen poems are offered marking the differences in weather and the emotional effects of the four seasons. These poems are filled with youthful enthusiasm as I’m sure many were written during high school years. Next is Life’s Wonder’s. Sixteen poems about college, growing up, and relationships with those kept close. Emotional Trips has a personal feel, as she visits basic emotions such joy, anger, and grief. Nature Interludes takes an up close look at Mother Nature’s greatest masterpieces from the moon and stars, mountains and moonlight to butterflies, storms, and floods. Huffaker gives thanks to God in the fifth Chapter, Universal Reveries. In the final flight, Word Paintings, the author wraps up the collection with six titles that wouldn’t easily fit into any of the other chapters with poetry about aquariums, balloons, and postage stamps.

Huffaker has done a wonderful job formatting her book with intricate designs framing each page and beautiful black and white photography gracing chapter introductions.

Her work is observational. She describes the world around her with no wasted words, and without using poetic devices that could suggest multiple interpretations. No simile or metaphor to cloud her meaning. She delivers her message without irony or symbolism to alter the impact of her words. This is free verse in every sense with mild use of rhyme and even less rhythm. Many of the poems here are simple acronym poetry that took me back to my first exposure to writing poetry in early grade school. An example:

Joy
Just a time when
One person or thing takes
You to heaven and back again.

Dawn Huffaker has a definite passion for poetry. One can easily see the joy and comfort that writing brings to her life. I recommend Flights of Fancy to those who enjoy their poetry down-to-earth and to the point.

By William Potter for Reader’s Choice Book Reviews

Available at Amazon