I was delighted to receive the below 2 reviews of my recently released poetry collection, More Poetic Meanderings, on Goodreads.

Audrey Driscoll’s Review of More Poetic Meanderings

“Short lines and few words convey often vivid images. The poems show the poet moving through his days, passing by gravestones, feeling rain falling, hearing birdcalls. Almost always, the last line is a reminder that death comes to all and life’s pleasures are fleeting.
“Nature” expresses this well with “…the burr on our clothes, / The prick of the rose, / And twigs in our hair.” And in another poem, “Civilisation goes down / In fire / And rain.”
Life continues, as related in “Nesting Boxes.” But “On Hearing Birdsong” reminds us that “…the birds / Sing on / With no care / For where / We have gone.”
Technology provides no escape from these realities, showing only “…the vanity /And utter banality / Of our flawed humanity.”
“Poetry in Rain” is charming and less gloomy. “Abandoned” is a quietly sad and poignant comment on passing human relationships. References to hot summers and drought, as well as the invasion of Ukraine and toppling of statues in Britain reflect current events.
“Outside” encapsulates the themes of the book, mentioning birds, the tap of young women’s “stilettoed feet” that “tick tock like clocks” while the poet rhymes “Of old Father Time / And clocks / That stop.”
An interesting feature of this collection is the poet’s experimentation with Chat GPT. He prompts the AI to write a poem titled “All Love and Lust,” giving it an opening line. Then he rewrites that poem, making it shorter and removing the optimism introduced by the AI. In the second example, Morris gives Chat GPT the first two lines of his poem “My Old Clock I Wind.” The AI produces a rather wordy version that is largely in keeping with the mood of the original. Finally, Chat GPT continues “Midnight,” a brief poem by Morris, adding elements of optimism that are definitely missing from the original three lines.
This collection of poems would be appreciated by readers with a philosophical outlook on life and its passing pleasures.”

(For the original review please visit https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5470695408).

—

Roberta Eaton Cheadle’s Review of More Poetic Meanderings

“This collection of poetry demonstrates the poet’s talent at its best. I have read other collections by K. Morris and his poems about the fragility of life and the shadow of death that lies over all creatures from the moment of their births are my firm favourites.

The poet has a remarkable way of highlighting the best things in life by contrasting them with the inevitable ending of life which I find fascinating and thought provoking. I enjoy that these collections always make me reassess my life, its meaning, and what things are really important to me.

Two poems that I particularly liked and found thought provoking, related the the human obsession with technology. Here are these two examples:

As I Progress

“Walking through the churchyard
On a freezing evening,
I consider progress
And pass by
Fading inscriptions
On tombstones.”

This poem brings to my mind the words of one of my first work role models. Richard always said: “Westpark [our local cemetery] is full of indispensable people.”

The other poem is I Enter the Graveyard.

“I enter the graveyard
Where men forget regret
While the living
Forget their eternal
Bed is made
In waiting grave

And choose to lose
Their day
In play
With technology,
Which makes none free
Of the eternal grave.”

A wonderful book of deep poems that will be enjoyed by all lovers of poetry.”

(For the original review please visit https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5482793252)