Bright Beads

"Among the thousands of people I have taught by now, Anne is the only one with music in her body and soul. Her poetry contains it as well."

-Susan Hankla, adjunct professor of creative writing, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

"Anne Lane's poetry is a delight. But better than that, it is a dreamy sort of time capsule, escorting the reader back through sights, smells and sounds of vanished worlds (some real and some remembered, some imagined and wild). This poet is possessed of a gorgeous and true voice, and this is a beautiful book."

-Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love

Poet Anne Lane has walked down life's path for ninety years, experiencing moments that stir her soul, prompt laughter, or trigger heartache. In her new collection of more than fifty poems, Lane reveals poignant, occasionally whimsical reflections on a breadth of themes, from growing up to realizing love to contemplating loss and old age.

With a strong, appealing voice, Lane shares lyrical verse on the secret treasures hidden inside a mahogany chest and magically captures a little girl's wonderment at her mother's beautiful possessions. She demonstrates her diversity as a poet in "Fried Chicken Livers," where what first appears to be a humorous take on savoring a meaty delicacy with a friend emerges as a reflection on death. From haiku to contemporary verse, Lane uses a variety of forms and tones to portray the essence of one woman's life experiences.