WAY LEADS ONTO WAY

This debut volume of poetry explores various themes, from personal relationships to religious beliefs.

The poems collected here are arranged in alphabetical order, opening with “Aligned,” which discusses finding a connection with Earth and spirituality, and closing with “Writer’s Block,” about the desire to write when one should be sleeping. The pieces in between ponder all manner of subjects but with a devotion to Christianity at their hearts. “Foundations” underscores the importance of building a life founded in Jesus: “Laying sure foundations, / In Jesus Christ alone, / Building a lively temple for their home.” Some poems—such as “Death, Where Is Thy Sting?”—ponder the wonder of the soul’s ascension into heaven juxtaposed with human frivolity and materialism: “At the end of life, will I ask, ‘Could I have done more?’ / More for whom or what? / For a nicer house? More holidays? Or a car that is fast?” Other pieces address greed and climate change, the pain of divorce, and, in one unexpected diversion, the existence of fairies. Deshon’s poetic voice is a passionate, benevolent one, charged with positivity—as found in “Birthday Message”: “And may the day be yours to share, / Surrounded by those who deeply care, / Filled to the brim with earthly love, / Showered with heavenly blessings from above.” For Christian readers, there is something deeply reassuring in her steadfast belief that all will be well provided that one’s sights are set on “heaven’s open portal.” But the author’s unyielding insistence on rhyming often results in the gravity of her writing being lost: “Ozone layer, global heating, / Men, women, children get a beating.” In such instances, weighty issues become naïve singsongs. This frequently leads to inopportune word choices—for instance, the pains of humankind being reduced to a tizz simply to rhyme with His. The poet’s work is also punctuated by platitudes: “Like a fish needs a bicycle” and “A rolling stone, Gathering no moss.” The result is that despite Deshon’s palpable warmth and beliefs, this volume offers little that is new in terms of exploring humans’ earthly existence and relationship with a higher power.

A heartfelt, upbeat, but uneven collection of poems.