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Adding The Subtractions: Poems Of Love And Grief
As my father underwent his journey of dying, I was moved to write poems that chronicled his experiences and those of our family. I was often shocked and sorrowed by the process, but there was also much beauty, tenderness, and occasionally even humor amid the grief.Many of these poems were previously published, in such publications as The Evansville Review, The Main Street Rag, Blue Unicorn, Frogpond, Modern Haiku, and others.
74 pages, Paperback
Published July 3, 2020
About the author
P.M.F. Johnson
22Ìýbooks19ÌýfollowersI've always liked to mix things together that have never been put together before. So while I've aimed to make my epic fantasy novels fun and fast-paced, I also want them to have some depth, to last in the memory, maybe even to deepen the soul a little.
The best stories aren't just about facing troubles, I figure, but also admitting why we got into trouble in the first place, finding the courage to change, and getting back out again, somehow.
This work has resulted first in my Saga of Sinnesemota series: Disk of Dragons, Trollen Rose, Call of the Labyrinth, and most recently Dark Alley Magic. These novels follow the challenges, failures and successes of Rev Caern, Gabryal Lansdon, and their friends as they battle the evil that threatens their world.
I'm very happy about my most recent fantasy, Dark Alley Magic, where a young mother, Yusi Capulo, battles to free her children from a corrupt world of dark magic. She is in a medieval mobster family, and struggles to get out. It's a different theme than most fantasies, but the tension keeps growing, especially when Yusi meets Gabryal, acting as a prosecutor for the king. Gabryal wants her to testify against her family. That would be almost suicidal, except that Yusi is charged with murder, so Gabryal has leverage over her. It's a fast-paced tale, and I think you will enjoy it.
In a more casual vein, I started to think: what would cowboys be like in a fantasy world, living the frontier life while battling monsters? The result was my two weird western novels, Drifter Mage and Desert Mage.
Finally, I have three books of poetry out. A Life In The Day tells of the adventures of a life's pilgrim. Adding The Subtractions details the time of my father's passing. And closest to my heart, Against The Night tells of my life-long love for my wife, the writer Sandra Rector. In it, poems tell the tale of a long love, with joys, challenges, and surprises.
I hope you enjoy all of these books.
The best stories aren't just about facing troubles, I figure, but also admitting why we got into trouble in the first place, finding the courage to change, and getting back out again, somehow.
This work has resulted first in my Saga of Sinnesemota series: Disk of Dragons, Trollen Rose, Call of the Labyrinth, and most recently Dark Alley Magic. These novels follow the challenges, failures and successes of Rev Caern, Gabryal Lansdon, and their friends as they battle the evil that threatens their world.
I'm very happy about my most recent fantasy, Dark Alley Magic, where a young mother, Yusi Capulo, battles to free her children from a corrupt world of dark magic. She is in a medieval mobster family, and struggles to get out. It's a different theme than most fantasies, but the tension keeps growing, especially when Yusi meets Gabryal, acting as a prosecutor for the king. Gabryal wants her to testify against her family. That would be almost suicidal, except that Yusi is charged with murder, so Gabryal has leverage over her. It's a fast-paced tale, and I think you will enjoy it.
In a more casual vein, I started to think: what would cowboys be like in a fantasy world, living the frontier life while battling monsters? The result was my two weird western novels, Drifter Mage and Desert Mage.
Finally, I have three books of poetry out. A Life In The Day tells of the adventures of a life's pilgrim. Adding The Subtractions details the time of my father's passing. And closest to my heart, Against The Night tells of my life-long love for my wife, the writer Sandra Rector. In it, poems tell the tale of a long love, with joys, challenges, and surprises.
I hope you enjoy all of these books.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 17, 2020
Poetry is difficult to do well, and that goes double for very personal, emotional poetry. I feel that there is a tendency to wallow and overindulge oneself when writing this kind of poetry, which can make the poems a lot more meaningful to the writer than to the reader.
That is not the case with this collection. Reading the subtitle "Poems of Love and Grief" made me steel myself to be bombarded with over-egged wordy elegies. What I found instead was a remarkably competent and touching set of poetry.
The poems in this collection range from haiku to free verse. Johnson packs as much palpable emotion into the haiku as he does his longer works. The imagery is spectacular and I found some of the phrasing so moving that I had to reread the poems again. Although I could of course sense the deeply personal emotions of the author, this was never distracting or self-indulgent. For anyone who has loved, and for anyone who has lost someone, this is a beautiful collection.
That is not the case with this collection. Reading the subtitle "Poems of Love and Grief" made me steel myself to be bombarded with over-egged wordy elegies. What I found instead was a remarkably competent and touching set of poetry.
The poems in this collection range from haiku to free verse. Johnson packs as much palpable emotion into the haiku as he does his longer works. The imagery is spectacular and I found some of the phrasing so moving that I had to reread the poems again. Although I could of course sense the deeply personal emotions of the author, this was never distracting or self-indulgent. For anyone who has loved, and for anyone who has lost someone, this is a beautiful collection.
July 27, 2020
Stories of love, heartache, grief, pain, and healing are conveyed throughout this beautiful collection of poems.
This is a powerful and honest book written with evocative language expressing the emotions of facing the death of a loved one.
This is a powerful and honest book written with evocative language expressing the emotions of facing the death of a loved one.
September 22, 2020
4 stars
Adding The Subtractions: Poems of Love and Grief by P.M.F Johnson is a short but dynamic collection of poetry.
Not only did the poems vary in subject, but in style of prose and rhyming patterns too. I’m no poetry expert and don’t know the precise terminology for each form, but this collection definitely has most, if not all of them. The majority of poems are on the shorter side, for those who prefer long epics, but for me I liked a new poem on every page, all interlinked with overarching themes.
Johnson doesn’t shy away from illuminating very personal thoughts and feelings, from the illness and death of family members to a career as a carer and it all reads incredibly powerfully.
I’d recommend it to anyone with even a casual fondness for poetry.
Adding The Subtractions: Poems of Love and Grief by P.M.F Johnson is a short but dynamic collection of poetry.
Not only did the poems vary in subject, but in style of prose and rhyming patterns too. I’m no poetry expert and don’t know the precise terminology for each form, but this collection definitely has most, if not all of them. The majority of poems are on the shorter side, for those who prefer long epics, but for me I liked a new poem on every page, all interlinked with overarching themes.
Johnson doesn’t shy away from illuminating very personal thoughts and feelings, from the illness and death of family members to a career as a carer and it all reads incredibly powerfully.
I’d recommend it to anyone with even a casual fondness for poetry.
July 20, 2020
Without the barrier of vague metaphors Johnson lays his heart on the page with expressions of grief and memories about his fathers death. Using different styles, he shares his walk as caregiver and son to a memorable father. I felt the emotion he shared in his well chosen words. Titles like "Urgent Care," "Diagnosis," "Waiting Room," "Therapy," and "Pain," are aptly followed with his verses that hold true to the title. Johnson pulls open the curtain of Act 3 of his fathers life and feeds our imagination.
All verses are so relevant to any caregiver or patient. When he talks about pills, his stanza, "As though pain could be covered up by thought alone." He shows us that death is not just happening to the body but to all the body touched, "All must go."
I have no training in poetry but this book makes me embrace it and wish I could so eloquently share my thoughts and feelings. Five Stars, because it is so good.
All verses are so relevant to any caregiver or patient. When he talks about pills, his stanza, "As though pain could be covered up by thought alone." He shows us that death is not just happening to the body but to all the body touched, "All must go."
I have no training in poetry but this book makes me embrace it and wish I could so eloquently share my thoughts and feelings. Five Stars, because it is so good.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
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