“Mother’s Womb: Goddess Rengay by Michelle Hyatt & Jacob D. Salzer is an exquisite collection of poetry honoring Goddesses from many civilizations that span the globe and beyond. Using the form of rengay (a collaboration of three and two-line verses between the poets), this poetic dance seamlessly connects us with nature and the freeing power and energies of the Goddesses presented from Hindu, Egyptian, Greek, Celtic, Nordic, and Indigenous cultures, to name a few. Among these many voices are also gems from Hawaiian Goddesses. For example, in the rengay titled Ä€ina includes these two verses: “new worlds / spoken into existence / Pele clears her throat & Hi’aka dancing… / thunder echoes over the sea.” (Hi’aka, we learn, is “the younger sister to Pele and patroness of hula dancers, chant, sorcery, and medicine...”) There is no end to the intriguing stories and background gleaned from this book that open us to the captivating and enlightening world of Goddesses. As Michelle Hyatt reflects towards the end of the book, they compel us to “open our hearts and minds, to help protect the planet, and celebrate our oneness with all.” Such a wealth of delight for any reader. Through the poems in this book, our perception of Goddesses are informed and renewed.”
—Diana Saltoon, author of My Sister Meda: A Memoir of Old Singapore (2023), Wife, Just Let Go: Zen, Alzheimer’s, and Love, with Robert Briggs (2017), Tea and Ceremony (2004), The Common Book of Consciousness (1990), and Four Hands: Green Gulch Poems (1987)
“Mother’s Womb is a fascinating exploration of the sacred feminine. In each rengay, there are references to a specific set of Goddesses – ranging from Egyptian to Celtic to Japanese – and the poetry is best appreciated after having read the sections that describe what those Goddesses are associated with. This book takes time to fully absorb because there’s a lot of rich imagery as well as allusions to mythologies from around the world. A particular favorite is the rengay Her Mystique which begins with: floating cherry blossoms / Yaya Zakurai softly falls / into her lover’s arms. I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys haiku and is curious to learn more about Goddesses from cultures around the world.”
—Mary McCormack, author of Tastes of Sunlight: Haiku for the Seasons, All the Words Kept Inside, Brushstrokes, and Touching His Scar
“The collection of poems in Mother's Womb: Goddess Rengay is a wonderful read. The connection between the Goddesses and each poem is made with simplicity, even for someone like myself who has little knowledge of this style of poetry. The connections made throughout gives me insight and a curiosity to learn more about each Goddess. The flow of the poems and a deep connection to the cultural stories of the Goddesses in this book makes it hard to pick a favourite, but I have several. A truly inspiring, peaceful, and artistic collection.”
—Sarah Blackwell, MHS., BA (CYC), author of Raw Rookie Roadmap: Your Success Map to the Raw Food Lifestyle
“Deep within the womb of this book, readers can journey into the imagination and trace the lines and lineage of many Goddesses that formulated rituals, prayers, mantras, myths, and legends from cultural traditions and ceremonies around the world. With a beginner’s mind, the beauty of each rengay sits within the pause of each breath, allowing the reader to savour the words and images. Reading each rengay creates a beautiful dance of what was and what is yet to come. I believe this book can be used as a key to unlock the door of our own curiosity, which could formulate a larger understanding of our personal wholeness and why we may resonate with one or more Goddesses and cultures. Mother’s Womb: Goddess Rengay is a beautiful book that explores the sacred feminine within each of us. I highly recommend this book.”
—Nicky Poulin, Founder and Owner of Ohana Yoga & Wellness Centre and AHA Communications, and co-author of Wise Tails: Life Lessons from the Heart
