The Mountains I Raise: A Garnering in Prose and Verse
by Terry Marotta
Category: Literary Criticism

In the poem that gives this book its name, Robert Frost muses on the difficulty of gathering leaves. LIke the gathering up of a lifetime of experiences, he finds it no small task: "Next to nothing for use/And since they grow duller/From contact with earth/Next to nothing for color" he says of them; and many of the 11 contributors to this book began by thinking their own experiences "next to nothing" in terms of significance - until slowly, over time, their willingness to bar the door on reticence made them know otherwise. These seniors met monthly over a three-year period, distilling tiny moments, larger turning points and quiet epiphanies into several dozen small jewels of prose and verse. As their teacher, syndicated columnist Marotta includes three of her own pieces here too. One reader writes, "I was deeply moved by the memories of this community. Terry has drawn forth so much that is tangible and good from these people!" Another, "I finished the book over the holidays and loved it. Re-reading just about every article has prolonged the experience-joyously!" A slender "how-to" for aspiring rememberers everywhere.