"Can you be sure, my love, stands true, each day without you, torments my heart"
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A Journal of Poems from Ruby Days by Margaret Cheshire Trafford Publishing
book review by Michael Radon
Focusing largely on the emotional aspects of love, this collection of poetry by Margaret Cheshire is heartwearming and heartfelt from cover to cover. From the passions of marital bliss to the familial love a mother feels for her children and grandchildren, A Journal of Poems from Ruby Days is sure to tug at the emotions of any reader. Each poem is filled with flowery, complex prose while describing simple, unexplainable feelings, and the divided lyrical style makes it easy to read. Thankfully Cheshire doesn't employ a rhyming scheme, which, considering the subject matter, can often take away from the sincerity of poems. Some poems are accompanied by black-and-white photos, and each one includes a short phrase at the end to give the reader an idea of the author's inspiration.
Rounding out the emotional spectrum of the book, several selections also deal with love's power to help during difficult times. One poem that stands out as particularly powerful is "Love and Betrayal." It tells the story of a friend who is betrayed by her lover and, in the process of trying to uncover the truth and repair their relationship, accidentally ends a life and sacrifices her career and freedom in the process. Cheshire includes a prose addendum section after this poem which goes into specific details about exactly what happened to this person and how she continues to hope for only the best. Though it is largely a collection of love poems, Cheshire can elicit many feelings through her work.