Ring the Bells by Colleen Keating, Ginninderra Press 2025

With great enthusiasm I read Colleen Keating lastest book Ring the Bells because I am aware that she is a brilliant writer. I was not disappointed, this book rings many bells, and each of them touches a part of the reader’s heart and soul. Let me tell you why …

Ring the Bells contains an ‘Introduction’ and four sections titled ‘Embracing Light’, ‘Dark’, ‘Life’ and ‘Love’. In the Introduction the poet explains that bells are significant to her because she loves the idea that ringing bells signify times of joy.

‘Embracing Light’, is a section of the book in which Keating turns the great and small events of life like love, death, drinking coffee in an old cup, or the mystery of a moth into poetry. With enlightening words the poet finds one good thing in the darkest of events. Like in the following poem titled: “resurrection” (the poet did not use capitals letters as a good post-post poet.)

from the dark mysterious swamp
thick with paperbarks lantana and lilies

like a freight train cutting
through air in a country town

closer like individual carriages
clanking past

closer still. Rumbling 
breaking into distinctive croaks

yes the swamp is thickly alive
with a merriment of frogs

a bass chorus carousing courting
chatting all excited to have ascended

with the rain
from an underbelly secret world

What a poetic metaphor! What a message! We must look for ‘that good thing’ that hides in the darkest of times and places. Yes! Look for ‘that good thing’.

Another of Keating’s skills is the way she poetically describes art, or a Norham Castle, or plants, ferns, mossy outcrops or lanterns of red fuchsias.

It excited me to know that Keating has a close relationship with tress like I do; yes! Think what you like but trees talk to me! In Keating’s case she is invited to caress them, like she describes in the following poem titled “my oracle”:

i visit a special tree
a regular confidante
and ponder
what this new year may bring

rooted in place
sturdy strong
calm today
it gazes upwards
and out over the valley
as if it could see
far beyond our horizon
one thing was different

last visit its trunk was pink
sleek inviting my hand to run
across its smooth dimply skin
today its trunk. Rough
its bark splitting shedding
peeling in strips and curls
burnished as a rusty drum
exposing chartreuse rawness
i square my shoulders stand tall
nod understanding
and thank tree wisdom
for its perfect message

The poem in this section of the book reminds me that bells ring in nature like in the hum of bees, the laugh of children, the rain or rocks rolling in a river.

In the second part of Ring The Bells the poet’s creativity is not only evident in her words but also in the style and settings of her poems. In this section we encounter poems about war and other maladies like the abuse of earth and children as well as reflections on how nowadays life impacts us.

It is obvious from the third section of the book titled ‘Embracing Life’ that the poet loves and breathes nature. Each moment in time close to nature the poet turns it into an epiphany. I hope dear reader that you don’t assume that Ring The Bells only contain inspirational and serious poems, no you will find humour as well.

The last section of the book ‘Embracing love’ is very deep and poignant. Keating introduces the chapter with the following tercet:

with family all around
my heart reaches out
to the one missing

I could say so much about this section which with beautiful and inspiring poetry expresses many philosophical thoughts and makes us realise that even with the death of someone we love we can find comfort in even perhaps the simplest of things like smelling flowers in a garden.

Colleen Keating is among the most illustrious and excellent writers and poets, it was an honour for me to review her book. Beautiful, inspirational, true to life, I enjoyed reading every poem. I highly recommend buying and reading Ring the Bells.

 – Beatriz Copello

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Dr Beatriz Copello is a well-known reviewer, writer and poet, she is also known for her sense of humour. “Her poems are sensuous, evocative and imaginative. Beatriz Copello is one of Australia’s foremost poets,” wrote Julia Hancock, Ex-Editor of Allan and Unwin and Freelance editor and journalist. Copello’s poetry books are Women Souls and Shadows, Meditations at the Edge of a Dream, Flowering Roots, Under the Gums Long Shade, Lo Irrevocable del Halcon and Renacer en Azul (In Spanish), Witches Women and Words, Rambles and No Salami Fairy Bread. Her poetry has been published in literary journals such as Southerly and Australian Women’s Book Review and in many other print and Electronic Publications. Fiction books by author are: A Call to the Stars, Forbidden Steps Under the Wisteria and Beyond the Moons of August (Her Doctoral Thesis). 

Ring the Bells by Colleen Keating is available from https://ginninderrapress.com.au/ product/ring-the-bells-b/