Title: Let’s Fly
Author: Greg Grant
Publisher: XlibrisAU
ISBN: 978-2-5035-0632-9
Pages: 66
Genre: Poetry
Reviewed by: Beth Adams
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Pacific Book Review
2003 was indeed an insightful, reflective and introspective year for author Greg Grant, as it was within those months the poetry assembled in the collection titled Let’s Fly was written. Short yet sensitive realizations on qualities of life such as friendship, kindness, love and respect dominate the poetic subjects. Not making an issue of being disabled, yet brought up in the first poem titled I Am, the author simply states disabled people just want to be treated normally, with a “Hi” greeting instead of looking away.
Let’s Fly is very well done, with a spaciously laid out galley text affording to the reader to take in one poem-per-page, allowing time to reflect upon the feelings woven into the prose. Without classic rhyme, nor pentameter, the poems take more of a beat format, with terse and poignant phrases. Yes, there is a sense of sadness although at times contradicted by the message.
Many of the poems constituting the overall theme of the book reflect qualities in life in which most people already understand, yet brought to their attention from Greg Grant reiterating the fundamental elements of being considerate. Sadly, the final poem is titled Please Come Home, where the author apologies to an unnamed person for what must have been a tiff and wishes to talk about it; to work things out.
Let’s Fly is best to be bought in a paperback version, be it soft cover or hard bound, as it is the type of book to have lying around a space such as a waiting room, or on the night table by a bed. It is the kind of book best read in parts, picked up and placed down, and read again when time permits. Upon rereading the book I was able to perceive things more acutely and it had a deeper impact. It is certainly a humble work of honest feelings, exposed to all from a person with absolutely no disability of thought, albeit perhaps only one in mobility.
Personally I feel Let’s Fly would be an ideal gift book for a person recovering from a health issue; as although a bit somber, it does reiterate the miracles of life and friendship. I tend to question why the poems are all over a decade old, yet the book is recently published. I hope there is a good reason for this.
