Kelly Sargent makes her story the heart of Seeing Voices: Poetry in Motion as she shares realms of experience many of us have never known. Born with an identical twin sister who is deaf - the poet says "her eyes were her ears" - they are adopted into a military family. Sargent, also having a significant hearing impairment, and her twin learn to communicate with "handheld voices." She writes with deep love as her poems record their bond, and her language is tactile. "Sand slips between my fingers / like unspoken words on my hands." The stories are poignant, heartfelt, and richly poetic. - Tricia Knoll, author of Checkered Mates
Seeing Voices: Poetry in Motion is a testament not only to Kelly Sargent's talents, but to the universal and unyielding power of modern poetry in general. It packs more emotional weight and eloquent writing than many much larger collections, too. From the lovely alliteration, freeing form, and personal touches of the first poem, "Seeing Voices" to the sumptuous repetition of "Fruits of Labor" and the concisely captivating "Revelation," Sargent never fails to combine style and substance in equally commendable and characteristic ways. In "Poetry in Motion," the final poem, she concludes: "There are stories to tell." From start to finish, she tells some truly insightful ones here. - Jordan Blum, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, The Bookends Review
Kelly Sargent leads readers through joyful and, at times, heartbreaking reflections of what it means to see and hear the inner self. Her writing deeply explores language as movement, and each poem is a beautifully crafted vignette of imagination and searching. They envelop readers in a world of complex relationships and show us how to hold up a mirror to our memories and our identities with compassion and earnest wonder. - Jeri Frederickson, Creative Director, Awakenings Art and author of You Are Not Lost
I adore the emotive imagery that "Seeing Voices" uses to convey not only the general difficulties of being a sibling, but close to one with the added adversity of being deaf. The clever conception of how eyes communicate in "Night Vision" also sets this poem apart. Each poem is a piece of Kelly Sargent's heart, honest and full of human emotions, and their originality is polished to perfection. - Ruchi Acharya, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Wingless Dreamer Publisher
