Cynthia Storrs, a Nolensville-based poet and painter, is set to release her first poetry chapbook, Garden Clippings, through Finishing Line Press. The collection, featuring 24 original poems, explores themes of nature, growth, loss, and faith through vivid imagery drawn from her life in both Tennessee and Colorado.
Storrs, who recently retired from a 40-year teaching career at Motlow State Community College in Smyrna, describes the chapbook as a personal reflection on transformation—both botanical and human. “This collection is about growing things, yes, but mostly about growing ourselves—what we can learn from what grows around us, and more personally, what I have learned,” she said. “I hope it will delight and intrigue garden lovers, but also those who resonate with the natural world, who recognize the Edenic remnants in our beautiful and broken world.”
The poems in Garden Clippings employ experimental forms and rhythmic playfulness, with natural imagery used to explore personal and universal themes. From tulips reimagined as withering hands to pets and family members languishing under the Tennessee sun, Storrs uses the environment as a lens to reflect on human experience.
The collection has already received praise from fellow poets. Tennessee writer Cathy Hollister, author of Seasoned Women: A Collection of Poems, called Storrs’ work “a vibrant painting of words,” noting its portrayal of hope, memory, and endurance. “New life emerges in January flowers and faith endures through the oppressive slog of August,” Hollister said.
Colorado poet Ron Truax of Colorado Life lauded Storrs for her “masterful understatement and the precise use of the language of color.” Pikes Peak Poet Laureate Aaron Anstett added, “The beautiful, bountiful garden of Garden Clippings delights and nourishes.”
Storrs currently serves on the board of the Poetry Society of Tennessee and continues to teach creative writing to adults through classes sponsored by Williamson County Parks and Recreation. Her poetry has been featured in numerous literary publications, including The Ekphrastic Review, The Tennessee Magazine, and anthologies such as Tennessee Voices and America’s Poetic Soul.
The chapbook’s cover art, created by Storrs herself, was also selected as a banner design for the annual “Brushstrokes Across Nolensville” public art contest.
Garden Clippings is available for pre-order and is scheduled for release on August 29, 2025. Additional information is available through Finishing Line Press.
