Review by Twinkiebing -- Homeward by Denis Pickwell

[Twinkiebing]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Homeward" by Denis Pickwell.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Homeward is a book of poetry written by Denis Pickwell. The author wrote these poems over the course of many years and has since compiled them, along with his own commentary, into this book. These verses, as Pickwell describes them, explore life experiences. His goal is to inspire the reader to look inward and find the ultimate source of all of life’s emotions and experiences. Pickwell, however, attempts to go beyond sharing his spiritual beliefs, he also tries to logically explain subjects such as time, reality, peace, and loneliness.

I give Homeward 3 out of 4 stars. In general, I liked the ideas he shared in his poetry. All the subjects explored in Pickwell’s verses are universal human experiences. We all search for happiness and peace just as we all struggle with fear and conflict. These poems help to validate those feelings and give us spiritual direction to move through those experiences. The rhythm and cadence of his poems flowed well, I often felt like I was just listening to a friend talk. I also enjoyed his honesty in why these truths are so hard to understand and accept.

What I liked most about the book was the commentary he provided for each poem. I recommend experimenting with the order in which you read the poems and corresponding commentary. Sometimes, I read the poem first only to want to go back and reread the poem again after having read the commentary. I believe poetry should reflect the reader more than the author, however, I found I was able to broaden my viewpoint after reading what motivated and inspired Pickwell to write a particular verse.

What I liked the least holds true for most poetry. Some poems spoke to me more than others. The ones that were particularly hard to enjoy felt very repetitive. Not necessarily within the poem itself, but from one poem to the next. Pickwell often refers to the idea that time only truly existing in the Present, or Truth only coming from God. I don’t necessarily disagree, but many of the poems came back to these ideas no matter the initial focus of the poem.

I would definitely recommend this book to Christian readers who enjoy poetry. While Pickwell explores ideas and experiences common to all people, it is definitely through a Christian lens. Non-Christians seriously searching to understand Christianity may also find insight but generally speaking, readers will get more out of it if they come with the same religious views as the author.

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Homeward
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