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Poet Makki has constructed a collection of poetic expressions accompanied by philosophical prose, educational encouragement, and spirited opinions on a myriad of topics. The poems range widely through, as one work states, “birth, death, and everything in between.” “Lightning Courses” looks at the trajectory of human progress from the first baseball game in 1846, through the first world Olympics, and up to the first man walking on the moon in 1969. In “Phenom,” a tomboy in pigtails is urged to “Clobber that baseball…beat those males!” Lush language infuses “Starry Night”:
As sapphire waves crashed,
a gray vulture gazed halo,
giving life to wild creatures
Hollowing onto the moonlight.
When the waves settled, burgundy rocks cried.
Following the poems are prose segments styled for teaching. Some treat with culture, crusades, and the nature of war. The author’s own “Profile Quotes” contains this notable gem: “I don’t want to be a housewife but a wife with a house.”
Throughout this eclectic offering, Makki inserts color illustrations—crayon drawings and photographs—to illustrate certain poems and points. In the second portion of the book, “Incentives,” she has designed educational materials, defining such self-invented terms as “prointelligence” and “propeace” and composing short essays on such subjects as running and motherhood. In the “Academic” segment, her poems become her teaching tool, drawing words to be defined from the rich vocabulary of each of her poems, along with a brief précis of each and “test questions” for her readers. She also assigns essay subjects and exercises in critical thinking. Makki’s willingness to analyze and question her own work for the elucidation of her audience is both unusual and admirable. Poetry lovers will enjoy her imaginative writing while aspiring poets may be attracted to it as a guidebook for creative endeavors.