From Life to Death

If you are seeking perfect rhyme and meter, go no further because you are about to read the wrong book of poetry. If, however, you are seeking thoughtful introspection, reasoned thought and query, interrogatory and response, then proceed to read this book, for that is just what is in store for you in this first compilation of the poetic expressions of Richard Allen Brooks. No one can fully understand or appreciate the works of another person. We each bring to our interpretation our own set of experiences through which we must view the work. We have not lived the author's life, tribulations, exalts, despair, disappointments, or jubilations. Our interpretation of the author's work is thus a skewed vision of what the author intended in the original meaning of the work, even if only slightly, and it must be so in order to fit within the confines of our own personal experience, which must always be different from that of the author, if not in kind then in degree. Starting with "A Friend Indeed" that offers encouragement, "Your Name" tells of living your life but never obtaining the goals you've set for yourself, while "The Falling Snow" was a quiet time—after the loss of mother dear, "sitting on the steps of my younger sister's home, just looking out the window at the flakes landing here and there." Another one, "How Sad This Day," expresses a loss after losing another loved one and then there is "Between Atlantic and Pacific," an awareness of those who died during World War II and a memorial dedicated to them. Additionally, the reader must be advised that Mr. Brooks, throughout his life, has been a tireless giver of his time and energy to the advancement of mankind in every manner at his disposal. As much joy as his work has brought him, it has also contained bitter returns through many people who mistook his willingness to be of assistance as a weakness and, thus, resulted in significant pain and disappointment being experienced by Richard. There are many other themes running through this work. However, there are three predominant and recurring themes, which the reader will be confronted with—Richard's profound sense of loss on the death of his mother, a search for direction, and the passing of time. This work should be read with deliberation. Much of what it has to offer cannot be appreciated through casual, mindless reading. However, if you take the time to think about not just what is being said, but why it is being said and the message that is being conveyed in each poem, you will come away from this book greatly enriched in your understanding of the significance of love, loyalty, commitment, compassion, and understanding not just for your fellow man but for yourself. —Marilyn V. Joyner