What the Critics Say

"Ioannou's work, at its best, has a street-wise toughness, coupled with an eye for detail that is effective... The strength of [Motherpoems] lies in the range of emotional responses to motherhood that Ioannou captures. She's covering new territory and saying something that needs to be said."
        - Louise Longo, Books in Canada

"There's a generosity of spirit here [Spare Words] - a measured, but still joyful approach to life that's as pleasing for its maturity as for its freshness...this poet [is] one who's studied life and can present it honestly and warmly."
         - Rosemary Aubert, Poetry Canada Review

"...sensitive and poignant lyrics [Familiar Faces/Private Griefs]. She deals with the loneliness that comes from the loss of loved ones...in a way that confirms the commonality of our concerns and emotions.... Poem after poem exhibits the spiritual and sensory power that accompanies the image, the metaphor, the precise word."
         - Barbara J. Graham, Canadian Materials

"[In Clarity Between Clouds] Ioannou sings the praises of human nature and its strong ability to learn through hardships...an experienced poet who possesses a gift for expressing emotions that surface in the most unexpected situations. The most ordinary details of life, such as balance sheets and kitchen decor, become inquiries into human thought and reflections of very real, accessible feelings...a thoroughly enjoyable, highly recommended light read."
         - Carol Holland, Vox Magazine.

"Susan Ioannou's Clarity Between Clouds celebrates the powers of light and sight.... In each case the moment inspires a luminous apprehension associated with love, grace, ease, or certainty. At their best, the verses seem effortlessly melodic.... I am especially impressed by the assurance of these poems, which observe but do not strain or moralize. Is this the attitude of midlife, as the book's subtitle suggests?"
       - Jon Kertzer, Canadian Literature

[Where the Light Waits] "Much like the short stories of Alice Munro in which the ordinary is made extraordinary, Susan Ioannou's poetry elevates simple nature and everyday experience into the realm of the wondrous and sublime. Commonplace sights and events trigger inquiries into the spiritual, and tiny miracles are everywhere, waiting to be discovered...."In her poems there is no separation between inner and outer landscapes, only a dynamic interaction, an intertwining. By immersing ourselves in the nature that surrounds us, we plumb our own inner depths, journeying further into ourselves...."Through elegant imagery, Ioannou paints a world in which each small thing, each moment is whole and beautiful, to be cherished for its simplicity, yet exists also as a miracle of complexity, a piece of a larger intricate puzzle. The ability to express this paradox is the hallmark of Ioannou's immense talent."
       - Nicole Hesse, University College Alumni.

Susan Ioannou's works copyright © to the author.