Elder Gideon allocates a high dwelling to "enthusiasm and life”, to inspiration and to the inner light of imagination in poetry. Feelings, he points out, are always modified by our thoughts, which are the representatives of his spirit. He is able to connect one thought with another; and such discovers sentiments which are noble and worthwhile. Poems such as MY NAME IS ADAM and IFTAR GHAZAL enlighten the understanding of the reader and strengthen and purify his affections.
The poem, Aegis of Waves typically shows a common feature of destiny that not only once the one gets the chance to commit something. Life provides various chances to grab the opportunities and one goes through with the same things but in different circumstances. A beautiful message engulfed in positivity Elder has permeated here stupendously.
Not once
Does one fall
In the same
Rain twice
Not once
Does one step
In the same
Stream twice
In THEY THINK THEY ARE WHITE the poet acknowledges James Baldwin for "God's words" said by him: “No one was white before/ Coming to America”. The poet extracts out a deep message through this poem that no one was white before coming to America. Moreover, the poet mourns that since James Baldwin has left the church those teachings were never preached and he believes that “plight in America/ Will end as it began”.
When I tell my students of color
What I understand about Black
Life is that
They look up from their phones
With wide brown eyes as brows rise
To hear me say,
I don't,
Admitting one doesn't understands
Elder niftily presents contemporary issues and personal experiences in a way that is honest and impactful in its portrayal of humanity, discovers how well-crafted the individual lines are. The real pleasure of reading this book is when the reader discovers how well-crafted the individual lines are. I look forward to seeing Elder Gideon’s next book, and his continuing development as a poet.
--- Rochak Agarwal
.