“I try not to dwell on the darkness in life,” Hansen writes in “Glorious Gifts,” “but bask in the splendor of home.” The meaning of “home” here is expansive: home is Earth, the universe, the soil, a house, California’s coast, and the snowy memories of childhood. The recognition and appreciation of each, the poems suggest, enrich everyday living in ways that nothing material could. Through simple, direct, deeply personal accounts of moments of transcendence, the poems in Words to Breathe By blend literary craft with meditative practice: “river of peace within, help me find my way.”
Each of Hansen’s collections changes course in the final section. Here, he shifts from contemplative reveries on the cosmos to love poems for his muse, Kristen. These entries often lack resonant specific detail, favoring reverent exclamations such as: “In your soul’s light, I stop wasting time making war and look for peace, helped by your endless reserve.” However, some lines achieve a substantive delicacy, as in “More Than Enough”: “you are a diamond, but soft.” Readers seeking mantra-like and meditative poems will find a calming set in Hansen’s collection.
Takeaway: Accessible, meditative poems addressing gratitude, the cosmos, and love.
Comparable Titles: Tyler Knott Gregson, Rupi Kaur
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A