Forty-Nine Poems

In Forty-Nine Poems, Cynthia Hearne Darling creates a compilation of poetry that showcases her experiences, emotions, and observations. Each piece is a personal memento from the authors life. She goes beyond conventional personal anecdotes as she reflects on the subject matter, which ranges from Sylvia Plath to royal weddings and dinosaurs. Each piece seamlessly blends from one to the next.

In Solstice the author reflects on the summer and winter solstices, the longest and shortest days of the year, respectively. In August 17, Twenty-six Years Ago, the speaker reflects on the death of her father and the impact it had on the family, especially the younger sister. And in Aging, the author comes face to face with her age, accepting the place she is at this point in her life. There is a sense of accomplishment, satisfaction and ease in the authors tone as she pronounces her age. Although each piece is personal, the author writes in such a way that allows readers to find their own meaning and interpretation.

Cynthia Hearne Darling graduated with an English degree from the College of William and Mary and continued on to finish a masters in Public Administration and one in Social Work. She worked for the government for many years, and it was against this bureaucratic background that she learned she loved to write poetry because of the complete freedom it gave her. She is now retired and lives in Virginia with her husband, Bob. She has two sons, Joseph and Garth.