Like a character in an Anne Tyler novel, Susan J. Erickson "happened" on poetry after vowing to stop talking about writing a long-intended mystery novel and "just do it." She enrolled in a poetry correspondence course offered by Western Washington University, reasoning that even an alternative genre would stimulate writing. It did. That course led to others and eventually to this book.

Susan grew up in the Midwest where she attended the University of Minnesota to earn a B.S. and M.S. She now calls the City of Subdued Excitement (Bellingham, Washington) home and marvels at living on the edge of the sea under the looming presence of an active volcano.

Susan also creates and markets a line of handcrafted greeting cards under the logo Ginkgo Collage, is a devotee of Food TV, works out on the mini-trampoline and will soon be awarded a four gallon blood donor pin. She and George, husband and beloved coffee slave, do an annual hike at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico.

Poetry is now her genre of choice.

Review by Kara L.C. Jones
Kota Press

Wow! First of all, I have to tell you that this book is beautifully published with an ingenious binding to give the chapbook a spine, printed on fabulous paper stock, and the layout is gorgeous. Kudos to Egress Studio Press for doing stunning justice to the words of the talented poet, Susan J. Erickson.

Then there's the poetry which is well-crafted and stunning. Ever since Erickson's work came through my e-mailbox here at KotaPress, I have been a fan. But this little collection is really something. From her insightful sense of humor at the start with "Summer Evening In The Skagit Flats"—which, by the way, I think someone up in Skagit should scoop up as a winning poem for a public arts display like poetry on the bus or something!—all the way through to the absolutely fall-on-the-floor, cracked-me-up-with-recognition, piece of "The Sisterhood Of The Ruby Red Slippers," Erickson is at the top of her game, her craft! (Can I just tell you that she uses *footnotes* of all things in the Ruby Red Slippers poem—and even those are funny!?!)

Now I don't mean to say that all is "la-la" funny in this collection, either. Two works in particular carry a solemn clarity with them. One is called "Against" which we are also featuring this month (Aug 03) in our Loss Journal. This one was written for Erickson's grandson who lived only five hours. Of course, she speaks right to my bereaved mother's heart with this one. And the title piece, "The Art of Departure," seems to speak volumes about our processes of life. You know those days when you wake and wonder why you are still here and how to get through it all. One stanza calls to me the most with her words:

Tell me,
what does it take
to fly resolutely into the blue oblivion
and never for a moment look back?

This just spoke to me of a universal truth, a question all feeling human beings ask at one point or another—but said in Erickson's own eloquent style. Again, this is another collection that is worth its weight in gold. From content to layout, from style to cover—well done!!!

Publications:

BOOKS

The Art of Departure
Egress Studio Press, 2003
Square-spined poetry chapbook, 32 pages

ANTHOLOGIES

"Toast to You and Me", page 26
To Have and to Hold
Center Street (2007)

"Paradigm for Prayer" and "Third Beatitude"
Everyday Blessings 2006 Calendar
Sourcebook, Inc. (2005)

"Simple Joy ", page 117
Bless the Day
Kodansha International (2000)

"Psalm for a Cat Owner", page 38
Animal Blessings
HarperSan Francisco (2000)

"Housewarming Toast", page 107
Family Celebrations
Andrews McMeel Publishing (1999)

"Confiteor", page 139
Bless the Day
Kodansha International (1998)

"Let Sleep Come ", page 99
"Paradigm for Prayer", page 94
Bedside Prayers
HarperSan Francisco (1997)

MAGAZINES

"Lady Godiva Reminisces"
Empowerment 4 Women, Issue 16, Jan/Feb 2007
Online at: http://www.empowerment4women.com/expression/issue-%2316%3a-januaryfebruary-2007/lady-godiva-reminisces/

"Ghazal on a Line from Rumi"
The Ghazal Page, Issue 1, 2006 
Online at:  http://www.ghazalpage.net/2006/2006_one.html

"Throwin’ Heat"
Tattoos on Cedar
Washington Poets Association, Volume 2, p. 36, 2006

"Posing for Vermeer"
HA!, Volume 1, No. 3, p. 31, 2005

"The Wing Bone of a Crane"
Clackamas Literary Review, Volume VI, Issue 1, p. 192-192, Spring/Summers 2002. 
Online at: http://www.clackamasliteraryreview.org/works.php?workID=591

"Sisterhood of the Ruby Red Slippers"
Poetry Magazine (on-line), March 2001
Online at:  http://www.poetrymagazine.com/archives/2001/March01/erickson.htm

"Delightful Places to Kiss"
Switched-On Gutenberg, Vol. 5, No.2, Spring 2001
On-line at http://www.wenval.cc/mirrorNorthWest/contemporary/erickson.htm

"Ballad of Frida and Diego"
The Lyric, Vol. 80, No. 3, Summer 2000
www.thelyricmagazine.com