A Sense of Place Paperback by Richard Rose

A Sense of Place Paperback  by Richard Rose

A Sense of Place Paperback by Richard Rose

A Sense of Place written by Richard Rose is a bouquet of wonderful memoirs he has treasured so far in his life. Reading this book gave me a very pleasant feeling and I was able to grasp Richard’s magnanimous sensitivity towards life. I firmly believe that Writers and Poets are able to pen down their thoughts with vivid imagination because they are sensitive. I definitely can relate with all of them being a Writer myself.

A Sense of Place written by Richard Rose is a bouquet of wonderful memoirs he has treasured so far in his life.  Reading this book gave me a very pleasant feeling and I was able to grasp Richard’s magnanimous sensitivity towards life.  I firmly believe that Writers and Poets are able to pen down their thoughts with vivid imagination because they are sensitive.  I definitely can relate with all of them being a Writer myself. 

Let’s congratulate Richard for some of his poems in this book have already appeared in literary magazines in several countries. Richard, we hope that many more will make their mark in more and more continents J

 

The most catchy lines that caught my attention were by Gustave Flaubert are “Travel makes one modest.  You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.   So marvelously true these lines are!  The more we travel the more we understand our tiniest place and our contribution in this world.

Richard’s beautiful memories, to me, sound like they emit fragrance of blooming flowers which are-

In Love Poem, “With you I would repeat it all again, along meandering lush French river valleys and climbing breathless over Irish moors, we have travelled miles together gathering memories”So much love here.

In Recollections Lost, he again talks about memories and I leave it to the Readers to definitely go through it.  Suspense!!!

In Fortingall Yew he writes about an ancient yew tree which is 2000 years old or more seemed very interesting to me which gave me a peak into Richard’s inclination towards history

It was an emotional moment for me too as I read the way Richard reminisces his association with his friend in Sestina for Satish, “I know my sorrow will give way to hope when next I am walking along those winding Valley paths where our great friendship was forged upon our understanding and a shared desire for learning”

In Bangalore: Once Garden City, “Still shaded today when so little permeates the smog emitted by a thousand belching engines, driving these who would surely choose the trees.  If only they too had the memories of a haven once afforded.  Richard, do you miss Bangalore?  Btw: now its named Bengaluru!

In Balloon Boy on the Streets of Bangalore, “At Madhaven Park that evening I made a gift of two balloons to children I didn’t know but left me feeling happier than when yesterday I watched your many colored globes of helium but no one stopped to buy and you looked weary of your task”. 

 

In A Landscape Never Meant for Man, “All is silence here, save for the rasp of wind chaffing across the surface snow.  Scattered spindrift races, biting ankles, drifting, sculpting dunes”.  Silence is heavenly; I agree with you.

In Star Gazing, “Sometimes at the darkest hour in France, I crawl out from our tent and lying on my back upon the sweet soft earth, I stare up at the stars”.

Richard, I loved your style of penning down all your poems with the names of places you wrote them.  That’s like giving all credit and glory to the cities you visited and will surely stay in your mind for long.

An ocean roars and laughs aloud to spite all futile manly efforts, cliffs surrender and frail earth shifts, as sands slide inexorably from above to be devoured by on-rushing tide” as in Happisburgh Beach.  I found these lines very philosophical, indeed. 

In Ode to Verrier Elwin, where he writes about rules; the rule itself, its application, and its significance.  I loved the rules; the first being to open our eyes, the second to open our mind, the third rule is that of acceptance, and the fourth rule is to recognize that all we hold is transitory.  This poem seems extremely thoughtful to me and I was mesmerized by the questions he has raised.

In his Making Sandcastles, how he has described three generations of one family gathered on the salt-spumed beach at Holkham to build a sand castle together eventually to be washed away by the rushing tide.  How sweet was this.

In Autumn, “Now in the russet time, awaiting luring skies, I kick along the leaf strewn tracks with one final hurrah for summer sadly passing and winter soon to come” 

In Song for Lucia Anna Joyce, “When I think of you now I am asking the question, Is Lucia dancing in Heaven tonight”.  So also, The Bonds that Keep Us Safe, “I know that there will always be a rope between us a bond to keep us safe should either of us lose a grip or fall”.  The entire poem is worth reading and is very emotionally penned.

 

In The Face of Poverty, “Poverty is violence, poverty is obscenity”.  This is understandable as he wrote this poem on Cambodia.  I think that is why Angelina Jolie who does a lot of humanitarian work in Cambodia.  I adore her for this.

Fallubah is my name, “I have found that every day is good since the days of fighting finally have gone away and here in this city I have made a better life.  Yesterday I learned a lesson from a man who has no hands”.

Readers; in all sincerity I would like to mention that do read and go through his poems and as you read, I bet, each one of you will be able to relate with this writing.  Each and every poem of Richard has left me spellbound.  Richard; I will surely keep the “rules” in my mind.  They are like very spiritual and the utmost truth of life; I just loved them.  I am gonna post them on my insta handle.  Hope you won’t mind.

Here’s wishing you all the very best for future and we look forward to your next creation.  We pray that your book crosses all the benchmarks and travels far and wide bringing you all the recognition and pride.

Warm regards,

Shubhaangi Kundalkar

Author: Justaju-In Search of Life

Insta handle: window_to_my_heart