Compassion, Winter 2021

Winter 2021 - Compassion | www.tcf.org.uk 14 Book Reviews This quarter I’ve reviewed two books which are particular favourites of mine. They’ve been in the library for a while and I never tire of browsing through them. ‘For You from Sascha: old and new thoughts of comfort and understanding for healing from grief’ by Aleandra Sascha Wagner, published by Writers Club Press. This is a book of poetry by an author whose work has often featured in Compassion magazine in the past. Sascha suffered the death of both her children and, after being helped by TCF in the United States, she became a lifelong member of that organisation helping others and writing her wonderful poems. This book, published in 1999, has five chapters covering early grief, help and solace, memories, days and seasons and the road ahead. Sascha has a way of condensing her thoughts and feelings into a few words which offer empathy, comfort and hope for grieving parents. So many times through the years I’ve read one of her poems and felt a real connection with the words which somehow seem to keep pace with my own grief so that I see something new every time I read them. One of my favourites, which is very appropriate for this time of year, is very short and simply called ‘Yule’. I often read it at Christmas time. “The song of yuletide rings With tears and laughter And if you listen deeply You will find The sound of every voice you ever knew.” (pp 116)