LITERARY EXECUTIVE REVIEW: Does Every Little Bud on the Bush That Grows Try to Make Room for Another Rose? by Dorothy R. and Barbara A. and Dorothy “Dottie” L. Mumma
by ReadersMagnet | February 9, 2026 | Literary Executive Review | 0 Comments
“Does Every Little Bud on the Bush That Grows Try to Make Room for Another Rose?” brings together Dorothy R. Mumma’s poetry, personal writings, and visual art, documenting a life lived with faith, curiosity, and joy. Compiled and presented by her daughters, Barbara and Dottie Mumma, the book is not a literary experiment or a reinvention of form. It is a faithful presentation of one woman’s creative voice, preserved with care and intention.
Dorothy R. Mumma wrote throughout her life, continuing her poetry until her death in 1999 at the age of 84. She created much of her artwork during the 1970s and 1980s. Professionally, she worked for decades as an administrative assistant. She retired at 77 and found her greatest fulfillment as a wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Her faith sustained her through personal and historical challenges, shaping her worldview rooted in kindness, endurance, and love for others.
Published in 2022 by Christian Faith Publishing, this collection includes an introduction that briefly recounts the late poet and visual artist’s life. It includes family photographs, which, together, provide emotional depth and help readers understand her writing. The fact that this collection took nearly 20 years to assemble further strengthens its impact. It reads as a labor of love – one that’s evident throughout the book.
Scope, Substance, and Intent
The primary strength of this book is clarity of purpose. The collection honors Dorothy R. Mumma’s lifelong arts creation, offering readers a complete and emotionally coherent body of work. The poems are accessible, warm, and steady in tone, without attempting to dramatize or embellish her life beyond what it already contains.
The poems, many of which were discovered on scraps of paper or tucked away in her home, often rely on rhyming couplets or familiar rhythmic patterns. The cadence lends the verses a gentle, almost conversational quality so that themes like faith, endurance, and mortality feel encouraging rather than heavy. Her figurative language is familiar, nostalgic even. As a poet, Mumma is unpretentious, using images such as buds, flowers, birds, animals, scenery, and sky as metaphors.
Although the poems are found in unexpected ways, they are thoughtfully organized thanks to the late poet’s daughters’ perseverance. It is commendable how the two gave their mother’s works space, resulting in one of the book’s most consistent assets, reflective without being indulgent.
Themes, Humanity, and Emotional Range
The thematic range of the collection is broader than it first appears. Faith is central, but it is not presented narrowly. Dorothy’s Christian values are expressed without sounding like doctrine. Nature is frequently used as evidence of divine intention, linking the spiritual to the visible world in a way that feels grounded and calm.
Equally strong is the book’s handling of resilience and hope. The poems acknowledge difficulty – dark days, uncertainty, fear – but consistently return to endurance and trust. Love, whether familial or spiritual, is framed as a practical force that lightens burdens and gives life meaning. This steadiness gives the collection durability. It is a book that readers can return to during different seasons of life.
It is also effective in its tonal flexibility. Alongside poems with spiritual undertones are lighthearted pieces about animals, family habits, and everyday observations. These pieces prevent the collection from becoming overly solemn, without distracting from the book’s core message.
Visual Presentation and Artistic Cohesion
Visually, the book is harmonious. Photographs, both family images and those paired with poems, strengthen continuity, while the paintings extend the collection’s emotional scope.
Her paintings depict the natural world in a noticeable, soft, natural palette – muted earth tones, gentle blues, grays, creams, and subdued browns. Yet even when such a palette dominates, a feeling of warm nostalgia washes over the observer as the scenes feel lived-in.
Moreover, her brushwork is loose and impressionistic. Consuming her art would give viewers a space to breathe through its soft edges and forms. Movement is subtle. Light, too, creates a sense of calm.
Overall, her style favors atmosphere over precision and color, evoking emotion rather than realism. The result is a body of work that feels intimate.
Overall Perspective and Recommendation
This book succeeds because it remains honest, focused, and generous. It does not ask readers to admire complexity or innovation. Instead, it asks them to slow down, reflect, and appreciate a life shaped by faith, love, and observation. The writing is accessible. The themes are universal. The presentation is thoughtful.
Does Every Little Bud on the Bush That Grows Try to Make Room for Another Rose? by Dorothy R., and Barbara A. and Dorothy “Dottie” L. Mumma is a worthwhile read for those who are looking for a meaningful reminder that a creative life does not need to be loud to be lasting.
This collection of poems and paintings by Dorothy R. Mumma is available in physical and digital formats. Interested readers can purchase a copy at Amazon and Books-A-Million and Barnes & Noble or other book outlets.
