Review of Brevity

[Hager Salem]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Brevity" by John Kerl.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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Brevity by John Kerl is a short poetry book that wasn't composed in a short time. The writer wrote those poems between the ages of twenty and fifty-five. The book has sixty poems that vary in topics. They sometimes describe feelings or scenes from life. Other times, they say something to a daughter or a loved one. It shows confusion sometimes and stability at other times. It mentions places, seasons, and other things you may find out about when you grab the book.

I really like the cover photo and the design. It's simple, attractive, and mysterious. The name of the book reflects the nature of the poems. The writer wrote short poems to describe scenes and situations from his life. I liked that the book was written over so many years. It shows dedication and strong belief on the part of the writer. The writing style differs and develops through the poems. You can observe the change that happens with time. I can't forget to refer to the exceptional editing the book received. I didn't spot any errors or mistakes.

On the other hand, while I respect the effort and dedication the writer has put into this book, it didn't get to me. Most of the time, I didn't get the message behind the poem or even what it meant. I didn't get a comprehensible context or a clear theme. I felt they were sentences to express the thoughts of the writer. In my experience, those thoughts didn't get to me.

I believe that books in general, and poetry in particular, represent special experiences. When we read a book, we either connect with it or not. In my case, I didn't connect with or relate to the book, but I believe other people would. Therefore, I rate Brevity by John Kerl three out of five stars. If you like poetry and are open to taking a look at a poetic experience that continues in the life of the writer, this book can be a good choice.

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Brevity
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[Osvaldo Borghese]

This book looks to be a lifelong poetry journey, where the author collected every poem he wrote in around thirty years. It seems an interesting reading. Thanks for your review.

[Sheryl Brown 3]

Great review i believe the poems contained intriguing details about the author's life and vision