Ian Stott’s collection of rhyming poems interspersed with nature and landscape photographs taken by Ian Smissen offers a broad formula for a happy life and is best characterized as self-help light verse.

This stanza from “Reflections” serves is an example of the poet’s ethos and style: “Another day has past doing one’s best./ Just enjoy every moment, riding the crest/ Whilst helping others to also progress—/Some quite a lot, and some a bit less.”

The author often ponders life in these poems, noting its whims and uncertainties. Occasionally, he employs humor, as in “The Rhubarb Bullshit Artist,” about a man who made the speaker laugh as a child with “tales taller than a giraffe.” He concludes that making others laugh is laudable, “For life can be too serious and sad;/ At times the whole thing drives you mad./ But at least escape reality for a while/ When the rhubarb bullshit artist evokes a smile.”

While the poems’ messages are consistently positive and encouraging, Stott frequently relies on abstract concepts like growth, distraction, and satisfaction, which fail to resonate with a reader’s emotions. To similar effect, the speaker often makes pronouncements or issues warnings. For example: “The destructive power of the weapons today/ Threaten all living creatures, sad to say”; “Support a charity, give to the needy,/ Gives a warm feeling—no need to be greedy.” Such overly familiar sentiments, as well as the overall lack of imagery and contextualizing details, prevents readers from getting to know the poet-speaker in any meaningful way.

In all but one poem, Stott also relies on rhymed couplets, which can trivialize deeper thoughts. For instance, “The onus is on you to play it smart,/ Whilst all the while protecting your heart” or “Mistakes are steps to find the goal,/ So run hard not just stroll!”

The collection lacks strong literary merits overall. Still, it’s likely to be enjoyed by habitual readers of the self-help and light verse genres.

Also available as an ebook.