Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Elephant Wisdom: Poetry on Science, Religion, Division & Loss is a collected work of reflections and poetic verses in the Christian, spiritual, and emotional subgenres. It is intended for the adult reading audience due to some of the more serious themes it discusses and was penned by author M. Gail Grant. As the title suggests in its own cryptic way, the work covers taboo subjects centered around the difficulties of dealing with loss, grief, and death, including the death of young infants. Through different experiments in verse and narrative, the author allows thoughts to flow freely on often-repressed topics to enable readers to access these ideas for themselves.

This is the kind of book that readers won’t know they absolutely needed in their lives until they’ve read it. Whether you’re a poetry fan or not, a Christian or not, even a spiritual person or not at all, author M. Gail Grant has crafted a fully accessible and observational work of emotional philosophy that helps connect our minds to our feelings and break away from the chains of polite society. The subject matter itself is brave and unabashed, and this is complemented by superb wordplay and immense narrative quality. The free verse elements were some of my particular favorites because it felt like you were in a direct conversation with someone who has felt grief deeply and can relate to and accept others who are going through the same thing. Elephant Wisdom is a highly recommended read for anyone who wants to explore loss in a safe and open space.