Official Review: Baltimore...A City Besieged

[Joyful17]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Baltimore...A City Besieged" by Lawerence E. Mize.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Poems are a powerful means of expressing our emotions. Have you ever thought of writing poems for your homeland? Baltimore...A City Besieged by Lawrence E. Mize is a collection of expressive poems about Baltimore.

Lawrence was a court bailiff in the city of Baltimore. He was moved to write poems about the existing conditions in the city of Baltimore because he had observed the city’s constant violence and ever-rising homicide count. The book relates how people were beaten and robbed, stabbed and shot, run over by vehicles, and jumped by roaming groups of juveniles that run the streets at seemingly all hours of the day and night unimpeded. The neighborhoods were strewn with trash and overrun with rats.

There are 28 poems in all. I would describe the poems as clear, expressive, and concise. The poem titled Unhappy Day clearly conveys the prevalent depressive atmosphere in these few words, "Just screams of anguish as the night faded away. Baltimore’s streets are scary and mean." I love the arrangement of the book. The table of contents makes it easy to navigate the poems in the book. The introductory page also prepares the mind of the reader by providing insight into why the poems were written.

My most favorite poem is Families. Amidst the dark tone of other poems in the book, this poem brings a ray of light. It encourages the good in human nature with positive words such as, "When one is alone, others should pitch in. Help the one who is nearest the end." The hilarious expressions in the poems also improved my reading experience. For instance, a line in the poem titled Killers said, "Climbing higher every day. The people in the morgue got nothing to say."

The poem I dislike most is COVID-19. I think the poem is inappropriately titled because it contains very little about the pandemic. Only the last line is connected to COVID-19. Also, I think the poems would have made a greater impact on me if they had employed more literary devices such as rhymes, personification, and others. However, I enjoyed the poems, nonetheless.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Overall, the poems were well executed and touching. The book is exceptionally well edited. The author hopes that this book would spread the word about the city's plight and in some way, bring succor to the city. I would recommend this book to lovers of poetry with an interest in Baltimore City.

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Baltimore...A City Besieged
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[kdstrack]

I agree with your statement that when people are overwhelmed with emotions they write. Some write novels and some express themselves through poems. Your comments reflect the strong emotions this author expresses in his work. Thanks for the fascinating review and recommendation.

[zainherb]

I love poems, but only if they rhyme.
I might check out the book though.

Great review!

[NetMassimo]

It's really difficult for me to appreciate a poem in a language that's not my birth language, but this book seems fantastic for readers who like this kind of work. Thank you for your great review!

[Kavita Shah]

28 clear and concise poems. It sounds great and the variety of emotions is visible like fear and happiness. Thank you for a great review!

[Nqobile Mashinini Tshabalala]

Although the author wrote the poems to express himself, these poems will go down in history books as valuable pieces. Many other generations will get to learn a bit of Baltimore history. Great review

[Sanju Lali]

The poems that showcase the sad story of Baltimore, but with some exception of showing some ray of hope. Thanks for your informative review. The poems appears interesting to read.

[Dzejn_Crvena]

I know someone who lives in Baltimore.
Thanks for your review.
I will recommend this book to him.
Not sure if he's into poetry, but I think he can relate to the contents of the book.