Pen Scratching Poets:  A Collection of One Family’s Creative Pursuits – Reviewed by:  Lisa Brown-Gilbert, Hollywood Book Reviews

Presenting poetry enthusiasts with an abundantly touching journey through years of written creative inspirations, author and artist, Marilyn B. Wassman offers a unique literary experience with her collection of poetic musings, all cultivated by various members of her family, with her book Pen Scratching Poets: A Collection of One Family’s Creative Pursuits.

Instantly touching, as well as entertaining, the poems in this book as a whole, capture the interest with insightful jaunts through a variety of topics including; family, children, love aging, physical ailments, holidays and more. Altogether, this is a work fueled by engaging tributes which echo with sentiments, shown through the words of a loving, talented family collective. Topics include family, love and living the day to day. What is especially nice is the variety of the mindsets that are portrayed through the works with years of wisdom woven in, such as; male, female, mother, father, daughter, etc. Additionally, this wonderfully endearing book is broken up into sections, with a section dedicated the works of a particular family member or subject.

Starting out is a section dedicated to Grandmother, Ethel Tillotson Benjamin (1882-1943).  Many of her included works are wonderful, love filled tributes to her family, as well as including a few unique poems including one in particular about her bout with gallstones. Although all her poems are wonderfully creative, my very favorite is A Thought.  Instantly resonant, this poem expressed a deep wisdom, which remained with me well after reading it. Next, a section dedicated to Father, Charles Thomas Benjamin (1921-1996).  Brief, but succinct, his works are a collection of the loving verses of a man dedicated to his family.

Moreover, with a plethora of contributors, the remainder of the book includes a variety of works of many other creative minds, as well as multiple works and illustrations by the author herself.   Overall, I enjoyed Pen Scratching Poets, as author and illustrator Marilyn B. Wassman has put together a fine collection of entirely insightful, sometimes humorous, and very touching verses. This read made for a collection of poems which offer a wide scope on life, detailed from a variety of perspectives as well as time periods. This was a work rich with words overflowed with sincerity, creativity, and warmth. Also, beside the great writing is the included perk of the beautiful illustrations present throughout the read, which definitively added extra depth to the read. All in all, this culmination of creativity turned out to be a read that I completely enjoyed and would definitely recommend to all poetry enthusiasts.