"We think of our childhood when it's all laid out for us. We think only of what makes us happy."
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Poems by Ralph J. Taylor Trafford Publishing
book review by Michael Radon
As the title promises, Ralph J. Taylor collects a series of poems regarding aging, friendship, nature, and random musings in this volume. Focusing on primarily on a rhyming scheme, Taylor also ventures into more long-form prose from time to time. For someone with as diverse a background as Taylor, the poems use a relative simple and earthy language, expressing honest emotions and sentiments. The overall tone of Ralph Taylor's Poems is appreciative, being mindful and thankful for all the pleasantries of life, but also taking the time to adopt the perspective of less fortunate people suffering from inner city crime or poverty.
Taylor is at his best when reflecting on the ironies of arrogant youth and wistful seniors, paying tribute to friends of his that have passed on and are missed, or hoping to pass on some first-hand experience of what life becomes to a younger audience. The content of Taylor's poems is mostly wholesome and without controversy, accessible to a wide audience in terms of subject matter and language. Taylor's points of view and poetic reflections are something just about everybody can identify with, reminding us to take stock of the little things and appreciate them, and let the smaller things slide. Poems by Ralph J. Taylor is an honest look into the mind of a man who has seen the world and learned to make the most of each day and all the wonders they contain.