Thought-provoking poetry...

I must say that this collection of poetry, although the title of the book is deceiving, is more than a collection of verse. It is a book reflecting a journey where you feel as if you have taken part in that journey with the author. The poetry is vivid and filled with emotion with Ms. Earsman splashing history throughout. The author’s work stems directly from her heart into yours making it quite fulfilling. Ms. Earsman’s poetry is extremely thought provoking and edifying.

Two of my favorite poems are “Barry” and “Harbor.” They are as equally as vivid as the other poems but there are a few lines in each that provoked a lot of thought related to our society today. The final lines of “Barry” suggest that Barry’s behavior is making him miss out on a lot of things. My thoughts went directly to the behaviors of the children or youth in our society today. They are often encouraged to modify their negative behaviors so they could reap the rewards of positive behavior. I often wonder if “they” realize what they are missing out on in life while they are wasting time getting in trouble at school or in the community with violence and drugs.

In “Harbor,” Ms. Earsman clearly paints a picture of what you see and feel at the harbor. The final line of the poem makes reference to all people having to face a day of judgment despite what life we have led. I feel that that is a profound statement. It is something that is very real and in the end makes us all equal despite our social class or ethnic or racial background.

I haven’t read any of Ms. Earsman’s other poetry but this book has encouraged me to do just that. If you are a lover of poetry, history, and God, this book is for you.