Modern Poetry contains poetry that reflects a little of my childhood days (Beds, for example, relates my experience with the growing of flowers back in the sixties but melds in with recent occurrences), and includes life stories of friends and those around me. More recently the settings for the poetry include locations to which I have traveled in Asia (Hong Kong); Europe (France, Italy); and North America (USA and Canada). In Christmas Shopping, I try to bring the readers to various countries in their searches for items endemic to their locations. I did not physically go to these stores but my research led me to them. The purpose, here, is to have the readers relate to their local Department store. I believe it delivers their personal involvement and help to take them to the location with which they are familiar or to which they can go and experience.
Some of the poems are written in the first person but they do not necessarily reflect my experiences but are told from a personal perspective adding a provocative flavor and a skew to fantasy. Modern Poetry seeks to elicit emotions that speak to the readers senses to make them want to read it again and again and, indeed, to commit some of the poems to memory. I believe Day to Day will resonate with people from many walks of life as it depicts the rat races that seem to control their lives. Modern Poetry has representations in areas of climate change, politics, banking, love, war, friendship, geography, social life and psychology. The writing style does not conform to the any classic poetry convention – for example sonnet(14 lines with the a,b,b,a,a,b,b,a,c,d,e,c,d,e form). Instead, I simply write to portray my thoughts, not even employing iambic pentameter. Of course there may be times when it appears in parts of poems but it is purely coincidental and was not intended. I simply decided not to follow any conventional rules. I am, however, quite fascinated with the limerick and Modern Poetry contains two limericks, the only form that was followed at all.
On several occasions, I write in response to turmoil in my life at the time. The sense that I want to portray in these is that I experience the same day to day trials and tribulations, hopes and hopelessness, trepidation and courage, anxiety and calm that a large percentage of people do. Night, I Cease to feel, Midnight Madness, Solitude and All for You all fit into these categories. There are others that reflect what I see and hear of other people and I find that the life experiences are common to many groups from diverse cultures and practices. Many of my poems have interpersonal relationships, particularly male female or more accurately, intimate relationships, at their core. You Made Me You and Let Our Light Shine are prime examples.
The fullness of colour in this book, especially the illustrations, should give the reader a sense of presence at the scene and make for a lifelike experience. As I have presented my thoughts in various areas of moods, emotions and spirit the works have been presented in groups. This will allow a reader who wants to enjoy a certain type of reading to find them all together making a reading session more relaxed. I believe that there will be persons with whom a poem or two will resonate. If you are one of them, then take the opportunity to share your thoughts and feelings with someone you would like to partake in that moment by sending the poem for that person to read and enjoy.
I understand that my style of writing may be new to readers who are used to the conventional classic forms. I know, though, that after reading ten to fifteen pieces, they will become accustomed to this style, and see it more akin to storytelling which they will find to be quite enjoyable.
