Calhoun woman's book of poetry touches human spirit
"There must always be two kinds of art, escape-art, for man needs escape as he needs food and deep sleep, and parable-art, that art which shall teach man to unlearn hatred and learn love." W. H. Auden
By Bob Weaver
Whether you enjoy reading poetry or not, it's likely you'll be enthralled by reading the works of Calhoun poet Twila Nicholas of Walnut.
She completed her first book - "Seclusion - A Book of Poetry," with a couple hundred short poems that reveal our connections to each other and the world in which we live.
Now in her 30s, she has been writing poetry since age 14, and is working on a second book of poetry.
Nicholas has received a number of special recognition for her poetry. In addition to her own book, she has had her poems published elsewhere.
 Twila Nicholas (right) inspired by life along Walnut Creek
"Seclusion" was was a nominee for the Eric Hoffer Golden Seal of Literary Excellence Award, and in 2001 she received an award from the Famous Poets Society for a poem titled "The Fawn."
Most poetry books I've acquired over the years, gets briefly read and put away, but not this one.
They're poems that touch a nerve deep within the spirit, and more often than not, connects us to the forested hills and craggy hollers in which we live in West Virginia.
I have taken to reading the poems early in the morning, sitting in the yard under the trees, after which I feel enlightened and relieved.
Twila with her joyful twin daughters, Hayley and Kaley
Twila Nicholas was born in Parkersburg but moved to the pastoral Walnut Creek Valley near Chloe a few years ago, where she lives with her husband, Calhoun native Travis Nicholas and two beautiful two-year-old twin daughters.
"West Virginia is my home, my past, present and future and I could not imagine living anywhere else," Twila said, "For me writing poetry is about self-expression, a great stress reliever, and I certainly don't do it for money."
"I write when I'm sad, when I'm bored, when I'm happy, and sometimes I write for no reason at all," she said.
A number of her poems are written about Calhoun places, like "Calhoun Hill."
You can purchase "Seclusion" at amazon.com, books.google.com, and barnesandnoble.com
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