Review by Nisha Ward -- A World Diverse by David Edmond

Nisha Ward · Post by **Nisha Ward** » 04 Dec 2019, 10:50

[Following is a volunteer review of "A World Diverse" by David Edmond.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Dearest readers, please allow me a moment to tell you something personal. Seventeen years ago, my grandfather died. It wasn’t sudden. It was a slow deterioration of the mind stemming from his second stroke. By the end, I don’t even know if he recognised me or my family.

The reason I’m telling you this is because David Edmond’s A World Diverse hit a chord with me. The book is an act of remembrance, a tribute to the life the author had built with his late wife. One would think, from the depth of the poetry within, that they’d spent a lifetime together, but the twist is that they didn’t.

I say it’s an act of remembrance, but I would be loath to omit the fact that it’s also an affirmation of faith, one that the book starts with even as it delves into the nostalgia of loss. “I Believe” is my favourite of the collection for this very reason, as it acts as both the book’s mission statement and a reassurance that there is something to come after the trials and tribulations of life has passed.

It’s helped by one of the strongest meters in the book, each stanza starting with a bold declaration of belief that repeats itself again and again until the word “believe” becomes so powerful that it resonates through the book. I particularly enjoyed this because it ties together poems that are seemingly only loosely connected into a more coherent whole.

Edmond doesn’t particularly have a set style. Rather, within a free verse framework, he plays around with rhymes, rhythm, visual motifs such as that used in “Friends”, and repeated emphasis to lay out the poetic equivalent of a warm blanket. This works particularly well when one gets to “Who’d a thunk it?” and realises that the book has been leading to the reveal that this is about his second wife, who was also a dear friend of his.

I particularly liked that the last poem, “Where I am now”, has a set rhyme scheme, unlike the others which opted for irregular rhyming patterns if they contained any at all. It gives the poem a whimsical, light feeling that contrasts perfectly with the heaviness of the content, thus encapsulating the melancholic nostalgia the author seems to be aiming for.

However, I won’t be one to mince words when I say that the conversational tone is a bit too quaint for my personal tastes. I didn’t enjoy the simple way the poems were presented, as I kept trying to search for a rhythm when there was none. That’s on me, though, as it’s definitely not a book suited to everyone who might come across it.

There was also the issue of a bit of incoherence to the book’s organisation. While everything did coalesce into one with “Who’d a thunk it?”, it took too long to do so, the poems seeming unconnected up until that point while retaining a sameness that made it hard to read sometimes.

That being said, the negatives are, again, a matter of personal taste in this case. I need a lot more variation than this book gave me to like it, but that may not be the case for everyone. It doesn’t hide its religious leanings and the book’s editing is almost immaculate. I’m giving it a 4 out of 4 stars, because even if I don’t personally like everything about it, I think there’s a lot that people can get from these poems. If you’re spiritual or you need something that can help you reaffirm your faith, this one is definitely for you.

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A World Diverse
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Erin Painter Baker · Post by **Erin Painter Baker** » 26 Dec 2019, 12:41

While I understand that the form of the poetry didn't always work for you, I think one of the most important parts of poetry is that it strikes a chord in its readers, which this did for you.

Nisha Ward · Post by **Nisha Ward** » 26 Dec 2019, 14:46

esp1975 wrote: ↑26 Dec 2019, 12:41 While I understand that the form of the poetry didn't always work for you, I think one of the most important parts of poetry is that it strikes a chord in its readers, which this did for you.

That's true. I generally prefer a more stylised kind of poem but I did like these a lot because of the emotional resonance they had with me.

Nerea · Post by **Nerea** » 27 Dec 2019, 02:05

I find it thrilling when one uses poetry to express their thoughts or tell their story. I'm not a poetry fanatic, but I might consider the book. Your review is quite informative and enjoyable. Thanks.

Nisha Ward · Post by **Nisha Ward** » 27 Dec 2019, 03:49

Nerea wrote: ↑27 Dec 2019, 02:05 I find it thrilling when one uses poetry to express their thoughts or tell their story. I'm not a poetry fanatic, but I might consider the book. Your review is quite informative and enjoyable. Thanks.

Thanks, and it's definitely a book that you might appreciate, given the plain-spoken way in which it's written.

Post by **kandscreeley** » 27 Dec 2019, 10:40

This sounds interesting. Remembrance is important. I'm a bit uncertain about the style, as it sounds a bit too much like poetry. I know it's free verse, still... I think I'll pass. I'm sorry about your grandfather!

Nisha Ward · Post by **Nisha Ward** » 27 Dec 2019, 16:31

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kandscreeley wrote: ↑27 Dec 2019, 10:40 This sounds interesting. Remembrance is important. I'm a bit uncertain about the style, as it sounds a bit too much like poetry. I know it's frene verse, still... I think I'll pass. I'm sorry about your grandfather!

Thank you, and yes. It does tend to remind you of stylised poetry when you least expect it.

Gabriel Merêncio · Post by **Gabriel Merêncio** » 28 Dec 2019, 12:04

This sounds like a beautiful book, but I'm not into spirituality or poems all that much, so I think I'll be skipping this one. I really enjoyed your review though, especially the personal touch and the intimate description of the book's style, good job!

Nisha Ward · Post by **Nisha Ward** » 28 Dec 2019, 14:23

Tomah wrote: ↑28 Dec 2019, 12:04 This sounds like a beautiful book, but I'm not into spirituality or poems all that much, so I think I'll be skipping this one. I really enjoyed your review though, especially the personal touch and the intimate description of the book's style, good job!

It is beautiful, but if it's not your thing then it's not your thing. Thank you though!

Mbrooks2518 · Post by **Mbrooks2518** » 28 Dec 2019, 22:58

I don't care for poetry, and this collection doesn't catch my interest. Great review, though!

Nisha Ward · Post by **Nisha Ward** » 29 Dec 2019, 08:12

Mbrooks2518 wrote: ↑28 Dec 2019, 22:58 I don't care for poetry, and this collection doesn't catch my interest. Great review, though!

Thanks for reading.

Kanda_theGreat · Post by **Kanda_theGreat** » 30 Dec 2019, 00:33

I'm a die hard fan of poetry; however, the simple conversational tone with which this book was written may not augur well with me.
Thank you for the review.

Nisha Ward · Post by **Nisha Ward** » 30 Dec 2019, 09:46

Kanda_theGreat wrote: ↑30 Dec 2019, 00:33 I'm a die hard fan of poetry; however, the simple conversational tone with which this book was written may not augur well with me.
Thank you for the review.

Yeah. There were time when it would have worked more with a different style.

Connie Otwani · Post by **Connie Otwani** » 31 Dec 2019, 11:04

Its tough to watch a loved one shrivel. One needs strong faith to bear it. Sorry about you grandpa. Your review has done this book justice. However, Im not that good with poetry, so I will pass on this one.

Great review!

Nisha Ward · Post by **Nisha Ward** » 31 Dec 2019, 11:49

Cotwani wrote: ↑31 Dec 2019, 11:04 Its tough to watch a loved one shrivel. One needs strong faith to bear it. Sorry about you grandpa. Your review has done this book justice. However, Im not that good with poetry, so I will pass on this one.

Great review!

Thank you very much.