Review of Peace in The Pandemic

[Brendan Donaghy]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Peace in The Pandemic" by Lenora McClellan.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Peace In The Pandemic is a collection of eighteen poems and one short story by Lenora McClellan. At under forty pages long, this is a short book. The author states that it is ‘inspired by God.’ She dedicates it ‘to those who need encouragement during our time of the pandemic.’ The final eight pages of the book contain details of other publications by this writer.

The collection starts with “The Empty Nest”, a brief prose piece that the author intends to be read as a story of hope and peace in difficult times. It’s centered on a hummingbird that nested in the author’s garden during the pandemic. She saw this as a symbol of peace and a sign from God. The story is accompanied by photographs and illustrations. It’s a gentle piece that could have been written for children.

Most of the poems, on the other hand, are written for adults. They are prayerful, reflective pieces. The themes that run through poems like “Time To Change” and “Repentance” are the need for people to change their lives; the author believes that the pandemic has been given to us by God as an opportunity to mend our ways by turning to him. In other poems, the writer counts her blessings and gives thanks for the presence of God in the world.

I found this collection of poems to be something of a mixed bag. I enjoyed those in which the writer reflects on her faith in God and her belief in his influence on her life. “God Is Still Blessing” is a good example: ‘The wind still blows / The ocean still flows / Your mind still knows / That God is still blessing.’ Other poems like this include “Hold On Until Then” and “Peace In The Midst Of The Storm.” I also liked the poet’s simple style of writing and her use of different rhyme schemes.

I found some of the poems in the book less enjoyable. “Time To Change” is more of a manifesto than a poem. It’s a series of statements about what the author believes people need to stop or start doing: “Time to come out of fornication / To come out of lies! / To come out of hate and come out of racism.” Homosexuality is listed as one of the undesirable activities, and the threat of punishment in hell is the fate that awaits those who ignore the author’s warnings. I also wasn’t sure why “Lazy Day Salad Recipe For One” was included in the collection; as the title indicates, it’s a recipe, not a poem. “Hope” is written from the perspective of a three-year-old asking questions of her grandmother. I found it a bit too saccharine.

Despite those criticisms, I am awarding Peace In The Pandemic three out of four stars. It’s a well-edited collection, and I found only a handful of errors. Moreover, people with different tastes in poetry or who share the writer’s religious beliefs may warm to the poems more than I did. I recommend it to adults who enjoy religious verses with a clear, unambiguous message. If you disagree with the message that these poems convey, you’d probably be better off finding another book to read.

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Peace in The Pandemic
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[PeterRabitt20]

It's insightful of the author to notice peace in the hummingbird nest. Glad she shared good news with others. Great review!