Predictive Text

Crystal Warren

In a series of tender, bite-sized poems on being a writer, loneliness, faith, patriarchy, climate change, grief, and more, Crystal Warren offers up an ode to the every day.

PRINT VERSION Buy the print version (hard copy) from Modjaji Books directly      

R200.00

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DATE

2019

GENRE

Poetry
i

PAGES

80

ISBN

978-1-928433-06-4

Predictive Text

I use words to counter chaos. I map the mountains, exploring peaks and valleys, avoiding avalanches. In a series of tender, bite-sized poems on being a writer, loneliness, faith, patriarchy, climate change, grief, and more, Crystal Warren offers up an ode to the every day. With Warren’s signature light touch, Predictive Text is sensitive, unaffected, a relief from the brash, unrelenting tumult of twenty-first century life, while tethered to deeper truths.

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Crystal Warren

Crystal Warren grew up in Port Elizabeth but has spent her entire adult life in Grahamstown/Makhanda. She has studied Librarianship, English literature and History, and works as a librarian, literary researcher and museum curator. She edited New Coin poetry magazine for four years and has taught creative writing courses and workshops. Her poems have been published in several South African journals and anthologies. Her first collection of poems Bodies of Glass was published by Aerial Publishing in 2004.

Crystal Warren's author page
Praise

“Reading Crystal Warren’s collection Predictive Text is like diving into a forest pool on hot summer’s day but, like all good pools, shadows lurk. In sparse language Warren takes us on a lyric journey through distant friendships, telephone calls, writing poetry, personal rituals, family and, of course, love. The shadows? Loss, sadness, aloneness, patriarchy, and compassion fatigue. Warren’s deft handling of these never leaves the reader feeling overwhelmed. A collection to plunge into, and return to again and again to explore all its depth.” – Kerry Hammerton, author of Secret Keeper

“Crystal Warren has distilled the art of poetry to its rarefied essence. Her words are simple and immediately accessible, but reward multiple re-readings and long scrutiny. She contemplates the divine with the same rapt attention that she gives to the vicissitudes of children. The fear that runs like a dark thread through this collection is the dread of being silenced or unheard – a poet’s fear of having her voice taken away. Predictive Text ensures that this fear is moot, because Warren’s words will certainly live on.” – Fiona Snyckers