Walkabout (Paperback)

"Walkabout" (ISBN 0615482457), a collection of original poems by Diane Juliette Sherman, is a heartfelt homage to life lived without borders. Intended to inspire readers to reconsider their own limitations and unexplored avenues, the collection reveals Sherman's life experiences in verse. With a title inspired by the ritual of wandering solitude that young Aboriginal men make as an initiation into adulthood, the collection focuses on the theme of finding one's way through the dark moments of life and coming out the other side as a more whole, integrated human being. "I stroll through campus, Wordsworth tucked under my arm, rust-colored leaves dangle on dry branches," Sherman writes in the title poem, recalling the innocence and curiosity of her college years. Featuring vivid, personal memories and lyrical presentations, the poems transport readers through Sherman's eventful past. "We are often told to follow rules, regurgitate already chewed on answers, and buck up and follow along," Sherman says. "How do we find our true passion, our true calling, unless we listen deeply within? This book is an offering from my own curvy path: challenging initiations, the feeling of being lost with no oars on a stormy ocean, obstacles to tackle along the way and ultimately the transformative power of maturation through life's trials." Intended to entertain and inspire, the collection is filled with detailed images recalling pivotal and pedestrian moments in Sherman's life. Featuring previously unpublished works, the book offers a definitive statement on Sherman's perspective as an artist. All Rights Reserved, Lightbeam Publishing 2011