Review of Posing for Rodin
Posted: 25 Aug 2021, 19:46
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Posing for Rodin" by Charles McGrail.]
“What if heaven has an unpleasant smell and people you don’t like are there?” That’s one line that stuck with me from this unique collection of short poems. Charles McGrail describes his verses as "random thoughts." Indeed, they talk about the ordinary day: killing time at the mall, babysitting, throwing the garbage, and other humdrum activities. However, when you ruminate on the verses, they all can be profound. I am not surprised that the author chose to reference Rodin, the father of modern sculpture. The artist’s most popular opus, at least for me, is The Thinker. I invite all fans of introspection to read this book: Think away!
Posing for Rodin impressed me. I enjoyed most of the 24 pieces in this collection. There are two that I am still grappling with; I wish the author would give me a clue about “The Blood of Au” and “Smoke Signals.” Many of the poems are just half a page, and most are in free verse. Only one, “Beneath the Lighthouse,” has a clear rhyming scheme. However, they all struck me with their messages, both the obvious and the hidden. Such insightful reflections come with humor and choice words like “liquidity.” The titles are initially cryptic, but by the last line, the reader gets the point. In “Something Worth Shopping For,” the speaker mulls over an appropriate wedding gift: they are considering steak knives, and the reader will surely approve. “Lessons in Liquidity” does not contain financial advice. The narrator describes their experience while bathing their two daughters. The perils of online shopping are presented in "Things I've Done": You never know what you’ll get. The verse I quoted at the beginning comes from “The Sound of One Hand Napping”; I have yet to hear that sound.
It was hard to pick a favorite. Different folks will surely relate to at least one. Hopeless romantics will gush about “Let’s (Song for Melody).” The title piece that discusses “the end of the journey” will get smiles from the elderly. Parents will be tickled with the truths of “That Would Hurt” and “Conversation with a 9 Year Old” where encounters with young kids are portrayed.
After reading the first poem, I was itching to give the book the perfect rating. Alas, the errors in the book stayed my hand! I wanted to chalk them all up to poetic license, but that wouldn’t do. I hope the author clears up those pesky mistakes, which include misplaced apostrophes, misused homophones, and misspellings. Apart from those errors, there was nothing else to complain about. Thus, I grudgingly give the book 3 out of 4 stars, but I strongly recommend it to all thoughtful adults. One does not need to be a fan of poetry to enjoy it. One only needs to be a fan of life.
The cover mirrors the casualness of the pieces. The author is pictured having a lazy day in the garden with his fluffy dog at his feet. The reader may very well read the book in such a setting. The book needs thirty minutes to read and a lifetime to ponder.
******
Posing for Rodin
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
“What if heaven has an unpleasant smell and people you don’t like are there?” That’s one line that stuck with me from this unique collection of short poems. Charles McGrail describes his verses as "random thoughts." Indeed, they talk about the ordinary day: killing time at the mall, babysitting, throwing the garbage, and other humdrum activities. However, when you ruminate on the verses, they all can be profound. I am not surprised that the author chose to reference Rodin, the father of modern sculpture. The artist’s most popular opus, at least for me, is The Thinker. I invite all fans of introspection to read this book: Think away!
Posing for Rodin impressed me. I enjoyed most of the 24 pieces in this collection. There are two that I am still grappling with; I wish the author would give me a clue about “The Blood of Au” and “Smoke Signals.” Many of the poems are just half a page, and most are in free verse. Only one, “Beneath the Lighthouse,” has a clear rhyming scheme. However, they all struck me with their messages, both the obvious and the hidden. Such insightful reflections come with humor and choice words like “liquidity.” The titles are initially cryptic, but by the last line, the reader gets the point. In “Something Worth Shopping For,” the speaker mulls over an appropriate wedding gift: they are considering steak knives, and the reader will surely approve. “Lessons in Liquidity” does not contain financial advice. The narrator describes their experience while bathing their two daughters. The perils of online shopping are presented in "Things I've Done": You never know what you’ll get. The verse I quoted at the beginning comes from “The Sound of One Hand Napping”; I have yet to hear that sound.
It was hard to pick a favorite. Different folks will surely relate to at least one. Hopeless romantics will gush about “Let’s (Song for Melody).” The title piece that discusses “the end of the journey” will get smiles from the elderly. Parents will be tickled with the truths of “That Would Hurt” and “Conversation with a 9 Year Old” where encounters with young kids are portrayed.
After reading the first poem, I was itching to give the book the perfect rating. Alas, the errors in the book stayed my hand! I wanted to chalk them all up to poetic license, but that wouldn’t do. I hope the author clears up those pesky mistakes, which include misplaced apostrophes, misused homophones, and misspellings. Apart from those errors, there was nothing else to complain about. Thus, I grudgingly give the book 3 out of 4 stars, but I strongly recommend it to all thoughtful adults. One does not need to be a fan of poetry to enjoy it. One only needs to be a fan of life.
The cover mirrors the casualness of the pieces. The author is pictured having a lazy day in the garden with his fluffy dog at his feet. The reader may very well read the book in such a setting. The book needs thirty minutes to read and a lifetime to ponder.
******
Posing for Rodin
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Thanks for the fascinating review.
