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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Poems of a War from the Eyes of a Solider" by Cedric Jones.]

"As I stare out across 
This barren land
I know I will 
Kill a man I know
Nothing of 
As I did before.
If the circumstances 
Were different maybe 
He and I could have 
Been friends."

(excerpt from the poem War from the Eyes of a Soldier by Cedric Jones)

It is clear Cedric Jones is not just a poet, but one whose boots have gone where few ever tread.  As a soldier for the United States in Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Jones uses poetry to communicate his emotions and thoughts that go with that occupation.  Poems Of A War From The Eyes Of A Soldier is an assemblage of 87 poems running the gamut of human sentiments that, although specific to certain circumstances, can also be universal.  Written in free verse, the compositions are loosely configured and discuss a mixture of themes.

At full disclosure, I concede I shed a few tears when reviewing this collection.  Jones' ability to convey loneliness and loss is sublime and touches the heart of the sacrifices that the men and women in the military go through.  The title of one such poem is "Dedicated to the Memory of the 476th" which eulogizes the lives of soldiers who have fallen.  For most of us, we have or had someone in our family in the service, and the reality of losing them hits close to home.   It is no doubt after reading this collection if the reader has not already, will gain respect and admiration for the ones who protect our country.

The bulk of the anthology's topic is love and to be more specific, love between the author and his wife.  He makes sweet affirmations to her of being a "unique lady" and "my best friend, lover, and wife."  Some poems share more intimate details of their reunions and the author's longings for his partner.  The depiction is lightly and tactfully done all for the exception of one which caught me off guard.   "Remembering Each Night of Lovemaking Shared Between You and Me"  goes into a vivid account of lovemaking between the couple and borderlines on pornographic.  With expressions of her "juices" going into his mouth and him burying his tongue in her "love tunnel" makes this compilation for mature audiences only.  Compared to all the others, this poem was by far my least favorite with its uncouth and raunchy imagery, and it felt out of place with the others.  

Towards the end, I had the impression of déjà vu and realized that it repeated some of the same poems.  The author named a few of the poems the same, but the content was different which led to confusion for me in remembering them.  The format on my Kindle was also off on some poems with most words in the center with some lines to the far left. None of these issues were distracting enough to cause me not to appreciate the collection.

Anyone who loves poetry, is patriotic, has a loved one or is in the military will enjoy this collection.  I give Poems Of A War From The Eyes Of A Soldier 3 out of 4 stars.  I dislike when I read a verse and walk away scratching my head wondering about the ambiguous lines.  Cedric Jones portrays life as a soldier candidly but still elicits emotions and insights into his world.  With the anomaly of one, I am glad I picked up this author's collected poems and hope to read more of them.

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Poems of a War from the Eyes of a Solider
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Like melissy370's review? Post a comment saying so!

It sounded so wonderful until you mentioned the one exception. It’s a shame that one was included. Still, the collection sounds emotional and enlightening. I appreciate your review!

Sounds emotional and deep for me, I love publications that dig deep into emotions.... Thanks for this superb review!!!

It's clear a lot of emotion went into writing this collection. I'm glad you could relate to it. Great review.

I tied to review this one but had to report an error, because it only downloaded one page that had nothing to so with the book. I'm glad they got it fixed. After reading this review I'm glad it wasn't me to review it. Sounds like that one poem should have been left private for just him and his wife. Thanks for the review.

stacie k wrote: ↑01 Jul 2018, 01:30 It sounded so wonderful until you mentioned the one exception. It’s a shame that one was included. Still, the collection sounds emotional and enlightening. I appreciate your review!

It really is a great collection minus the one. Thanks for commenting.

Dahmy 10 wrote: ↑01 Jul 2018, 05:04 Sounds emotional and deep for me, I love publications that dig deep into emotions.... Thanks for this superb review!!!

Yes, you will definitely like this one. Thanks for commenting.

AmySmiles wrote: ↑01 Jul 2018, 08:04 I tied to review this one but had to report an error, because it only downloaded one page that had nothing to so with the book. I'm glad they got it fixed. After reading this review I'm glad it wasn't me to review it. Sounds like that one poem should have been left private for just him and his wife. Thanks for the review.

Yes, the poem was certainly TMI and should have been kept private.

Ever_Reading wrote: ↑01 Jul 2018, 06:11 It's clear a lot of emotion went into writing this collection. I'm glad you could relate to it. Great review.

Yes it was. Thanks for commenting.

The book really sound good, I don’t mind the mature content however the word usage for that specific line is too obvious in comparison to other poems who uses metaphor to describe the love making. But so far it’s a good book! And great review as well I might read it soon!

The author's poem quoted in your review evokes a lot of emotion. His talent is apparent, but I'll pass on the explicit sex. Thanks for a great review and the forewarning, also.

Sounds like a good read.I appreciate works of art and poetry is one of them.