Cielo De Magnolias, Cielo De Silencios

Publisher Marketing: En los poemas de Olivia Maciel hay un palpable sentir de travesia, donde con cada paso, con cada poema, uno se adentra en el mundo lirico de los sentidos, del intelecto, de la imaginacion. A lo largo de este sendero lirico, uno encuentra lugares y personajes, entre claroscuros de sombra y luz - lo sensual, lo nocturno, fragancias, una paleta de colores, sabor de frutos, de amor, de la vida misma. Lo escuchamos en el sinestesico ambito de flores y flamas, lo escuchamos en los silencios y en las exclamaciones de gozo, en poemas que poseen la textura y el sabor de una pintura en cada pincelada, como si fuera en nuestra propia piel. A lo largo de este espontaneo, frecuentemente inesperado sendero el lector encuentra dialogos con poetas, artistas, filosofos, angeles, y lo Divino. Dentro de esa expresion poetica acontecen siempre un audaz cuestionamiento, curiosidad, sin embargo con el reconocimiento de lo trascendente, de lo inefable. Cielo de Magnolias, Cielo de Silencios es una travesia mistica que nos recuerda a lo que se encuentra cerca y sin embargo invisible, que lo que se encuentra cerca es frecuentemente objeto de negligencia y olvido, y que lo que es interno y externo en el curso de nuestras vidas, tambien participa de lo eterno. In the poems of Olivia Maciel there is a palpable sense of journey and brave exploration, where with each step, with each poem, one enters a lyrical world of the senses, the intellect, imagination. Along the lyrical path one encounters places and people among shadows and light-the sensual, the nocturnal, fragrances, a palette of colors, tastes of fruit, of love, of life itself. We hear it in the synesthetic realms of flowers and flames; we hear it in silences and cries of joy, in poems that have a taste and often the feel of a painting in each brushstroke, as if on our own skin. Along this often spontaneous, unexpected path the reader encounters dialogues with poets, artists, philosophers, angels, and the Divine. Within that poetic expression, there always is a sense of bold questioning, curiosity, yet with recognition of the transcendent, unknowable. Cielo de Magnolias, Cielo de Silencios is a mystical journey that reminds us of what is close yet not really seen, that what is near is often neglected or forgotten, and that which is internal and external in the course of our lives, also partakes of the eternal." Contributor Bio:  Maciel, Olivia Olivia Maciel resides in Chicago, where she is a lecturer in Spanish and Latin American literature at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is the author of M"as salado que dulce / Saltier than Sweet," "Luna de cal / Limestone Moon," and "Filigrana encendida / Filigree of Light," as well as editor of the poetry anthology "Astillas de luz / Shards of Light," She is the recipient of the Jose Marti Literary Award and most recently of ForeWord's Magazine Silver Award for Filigree of Light in 2002. Kelly Austin is assistant professor of Spanish literature at the University of Chicago.