At her core, Diane is an artist. She always has been. She depicts reality, and not just the pretty. She feels deeply and paints with words in profound ways. Diane's exceptional use of written expression is fundamental to who she is as a person; to her, the process of creation and emotional release is equally important to the poetic outcomes penned on pages. Her work is art in its most authentic form, for Diane is a poetry weaver whose words are authentically born straight from her sensitive soul. In THE SONG I CAME TO SING, they now become a tapestry.
Herein, Diane writes about the immense power of a word and suggests we use language wisely, to impart kindness. As a mother, Diane certainly does
just that.
And I should know, as I'm Diane's daughter.
Adorned with stickers and drafted on cheerful stationery, handwritten letters were lovingly mailed to my sleepaway camp so I did not miss an ounce of her summer adventures while embarking on one of my own. She crafted thoughtful poems for my brother brimming with empathy for the boyhood challenge of the moment. There were perfectly composed (and promptly issued) thank-you notes for even the smallest gestures of kindness bestowed upon our family. I found caring notes in my lunchbox on school days, and when I was older, tucked away in my suitcase on trips.
My mom is the person who speaks up - with intelligence and grace - when everyone else remains silent. She's the stylish, friendly face that strangers approach in the department store to ask for fashion advice. She's the legal brain that people in distress call for wise counsel. She's the pianist whose musical notes permeate the house as intensely as the scent of her delectable home-cooking. She's the mother who is so fun and beloved that even her children's friends ask her to hang out. Despite an irreplaceable space in her heart from the devastating loss of my father, she's the widow who carries on, for she is an independent woman of substance.
Simply stated, she's a multi-hyphenate. There's no singular word to describe Diane, and there's no simple box in which she can be contained. My mom has character, integrity, and a generous spirit. Always affording an unconventional outlook that makes you think twice, she's just enormously interesting - even her striking turquoise eyes contain a splash of hazel mixed in for good measure! To have her in your life is to be one of the lucky ones. And to never (ever) be bored.
In THE SONG I CAME TO SING, audiences will get a significant dose of my brilliant mom, her life experiences, her passions, her observations, her beliefs, and the inner workings of her truly mesmerizing mind. Themes include Life & Love, Grief, Nature & Earth, The Facets of a Nation, Inhumane Humanity, and Wisdom & Hope. All is authentically her, and all is passionately delivered directly from the heart, like everything she gives to this world.
You'll find she claims the song she came to sing remains unsung, but after reading her debut poetry collection, I believe we'll all question if that's in fact true...