WHAT GYPSIES DON'T KNOW - Natalie Lobe

“Natalie Lobe is a seasoned poet so we welcome and applaud What Gypsies Don’t Know. Lobe’s poetry combines skill and compassion, showing the right balance of ideas, emotion, sensuality, and intuition. Each line holds the gift of thought and care; and this proportionality is evidence of her craft. A poet’s field of vision is her palette and those colors are her resource. Lobe showcases her world with wit, innuendo, and modesty. There’s star power in this premier volume and each poem is a living thing, refreshing and masterful. I’m a shameless admirer of Natalie Lobe’s poetry and I believe all readers will be as well.“ —Grace Cavalieri, host of radio show “The Poet and the Poem from the Library of Congress”

“William Wordsworth wrote in the preface to his Lyrical Ballads that poetry should be written in the real language of common folk, rather than in the lofty and elaborate dictions that are often considered ‘poetic.’  One could argue about how successfully Wordsworth did that, but I want to argue that much of the brilliance of Natalie Lobe’s poetry is found in her ability to notice the profound in the ordinary.  Spanning a wide range of events from a well-lived life, Lobe’s poems offer reflections on biblical stories, her children, her reading and her travels, etc.  Each poem offers a nurturing morsel from life’s furrowed fields.  Lobe’s keen eye turns every day observations into metaphors that offer insight and revelation. A sign of wisdom is an elder writing, “Me?  I’m still in the dark,” because in the humanness of such honesty, there is light, and that kind of light fills this collection of poems with their genuine value for the reader.” —Michael S. Glaser, Poet Laureate of Maryland 2004-2009.