Transpiration is a dynamic odyssey that moves seamlessly from autobiography to poetry. The author's story of growing up in the USA in the 60s and 70s resonates with a deep accord of the ambience of the times, through a magical and intensely personal take on a spiritual awakening, made all the more intimate through the use of dialogue that brings the experiences alive and makes them authentic.
Benavidez's poetic imagination seeks to make hermeneutic sense of the Divine from the perspective of someone schooled in Christianity but becoming increasingly aware of alternative spiritual paths. This is exquisitely realised in her poetry, which treads a fine metaphysical line, moving in and out of reality boxes with dexterity, and always bringing something new to the table with each verse.
The best poetry holds up a mirror to consensus reality and reflects back what might otherwise be concealed. The poems in this book achieve this skilfully, moving between the sacred significance of the epic 'Nephilim' to shorter works that attempt to tease out the elusive meaning of existence, always imbued with an acute wisdom as to what spiritual portals may truly represent. The poetic awareness is, in every sense, transpirational.
Dr Neil Rushton, author of Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun
www.deadbutdreaming
