Diane Sahms, a poet from Lawndale, tried something a lot different for her ninth book.
“My previous eight books were traditional narrative,” she said.
The ninth book, – Of an Octopus: An Architectural Awareness of Words – isn’t traditional, from the size of the book to the pages inside. It’s experimental.
“It’s kind of a shift in consciousness,” Sahms said. “It’s me breaking out of the mold. This has been a very different venture for me.”
The book, published by Carbonation Press, of Spokane, Washington, includes philosophy, language, forms and games. Some poems are black and white, some include color, there’s one with only graphics, and the author uses words, shapes, letters and images.
“You see all kinds of different forms recreated in my own style,” she said. “I’m honoring letters and words and images and forms on the page. I’m playing with ideas, forms and thoughts in a different way.”
Sahms, who has three children and two grandchildren, is an East Stroudsburg University graduate who has been writing for 30 years and serves as poetry editor for North of Oxford Literary Journal.
She also has a teaching certification, and formerly taught English at Cheltenham, Council Rock North and Council Rock South high schools and J. Hampton Moore.
She worked as a purchasing agent for the Department of Defense’s Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support on Robbins Avenue, buying medical supplies for ships around the world, mostly for the Navy.
Sahms retired in 2024, and has no distractions.
“I’m all in. It doesn’t take as long to write a book,” she said.
After completing the first draft of – Of an Octopus, she sent it to her partner, g emil reutter, a contributing editor at North of Oxford.
“We’re both artists. We have our own offices,” she said. “He was the first one to see this new me. He’s like, ‘Diane, this is genius.’ He was 100 percent behind me.”
Sahms and her partner also agreed on the book cover of Mother Earth, designed by Lois Schlachter, a friend of the author’s late aunt. Schlachter was also the cover designer for one of Sahms’ previous books, Blues, Prayers & Pagan Chants.
The book has a bit of a different size, at 8½-by-8½ inches.
“It’s a square. The publisher came up with that idea,” Sahms said.
As far as the book title, – Of an Octopus is one of the poems.
“It’s a really fun poem. This poem was probably best for the title,” Sahms said.
The book begins with a three-page introduction where Sahms writes, “The intention of each poem is that it will be met in a shared poetic space of consciousness between reader and poet.”
The book is divided into six sections of poems.
“They all vary, but they all come together as one,” Sahms said of the poems.
There is, indeed, a variety of poems.
On page 50, a poem titled – of a dead battery includes an image of a battery and the words, “Life’s energy drained” below.
On matching page 51, the start of Section 2, begins a poem titled L-A-N-G-U-A-G-E Game that continues for seven pages.
Sahms also weaves some feminine characters into the book.
“I believe there’s something in here for everyone,” she said.
The book has received a couple of good reviews, and Sahms recently received a citation from state Rep. Anthony Bellmon for her work over the years. Sahms is also looking ahead to a Nov. 17 Zoom interview with Grace Cavalieri, radio host of the Library of Congress program The Poet and the Poem, so she can talk all about – Of an Octopus.
“This book has been very rewarding to me,” she said.
Schlachter, the cover designer for – Of an Octopus, has also designed the cover for Sahms’ next book, though a publisher will have to approve.
Yes, – Of an Octopus has a sequel, of sorts.
“This book has a sister book I’m just finishing,” Sahms said.
The next book will be titled – Of a Swinging Pendulum: An Architectural Awareness of Words. Like the current book, it will consist of six sections.
“It’s going to be more daring than this one,” Sahms said.
Sahms also has an 11th book in the works. There’s no title yet, but the author is looking forward to writing it.
“I’m having a lot of fun,” she said. ••
To buy the book, visit dianesahms.com or https://www.carbonationpress.com/catalog-2/019-octopus
For more information, go to https://dianesahmsguarnieri.wordpress.com/
