Mostly short pieces often reflect personal experiences in this faith-based poetry/prose volume penned by Joseph T. Perdue. Written largely in rap-style rhythm best read aloud, the brief writings are meant to “bring peace and joy to some,” according to the back cover.
The text, labeled a “work of fiction” on the title page, nevertheless appears to be autobiographical and covers a disparate range of topics, everything from the narrator being “scared as heck” about he and his partner having a baby to masturbation (“this is really a sticky subject”) to the benefits of exercise (“Exercise everyday makes high blood pressure go away.”)
There are also many references to Jesus and the Bible. Some entries lean toward faith-filled hope (“God bless the world/ Until we all change/ Jesus is the light”). Others, such as “Prayer,” present a strong plea to God (“Lord of all people/ Keeper of my soul/ Keep my mind and heart/ Never let me go, please…” ). While many sexual references support abstinence, they can be confusingly suggestive nonetheless (“you just didn’t ask me have I ever gave a girl a bath [sic]?”).
The collection is presented in a random fashion that makes it hard to discern the author’s overall intent. Each of the pieces presents a microcosm of the same problem, characterized by overall aimless writing in which forced rhymes confuse content (“HOPe meets reality then FAITH is the Answer./ Give a doggy a bone and it’ll/ Cure the cancer”) and uneven rhythms and mixed fonts (“cut back on the gambling Mr. eMpLoYer” ) jar the reading experience. Structural errors and misspellings also hamper enjoyment.
Although Perdue’s desire is to have his book “strengthen your faith,” ultimately, the final result does not measure up to the author’s intent due to the book’s unfocused content and other problems mentioned here.
Also available in hardcover and ebook.
