The poems in Dr. Sherri Lynn Bures’ collection, each paired with the same black-and-white image of lovebirds and flowers, feature predominantly light erotic verse, often with a religious undertone. They generally follow simple rhyme schemes and express familiar sentiments concerning the nature of sexual and spiritual love.
“My Sweet Emotion” serves as an example of this poet’s ethos and style: “My sweet emotion, how can you be,/ The only man, meant truly for me. . ./The look when I glance into your face,/Makes other men, reverse and erase. . .”
Occasionally, Bures weaves her speaker’s sexual love for her life-partner with her religious faith: “I shall advance my studies, a masters I shall earn. . ./ With you as my teacher, my friend, my love,/ For it is He our Master, who has blessed us both from above. . .”
The poetry often includes clichéd sensibilities and images (“Exploding my senses”; “light up my fire”; “the man of my dreams”). It also lacks a narrative arc or thematic progression, as all the poems generally express the same essential feelings and experiences. For example, the first poem begins, “A perfect rose you gave to me,/ Pledge I did my love, to thee. . .” The 12th poem reiterates this commitment: “I love you now, more than ever before,/ You my darling, feel my whole core. . .”. By the 115th poem, the thematic redundancy is unmistakable: “You have filled me up to completion,/ Where I could never want for more.” A more compelling narrative line would have held readers’ attention much more effectively.
The author offers a few prayers at the book’s conclusion, an odd element for a poetry collection, even one that clearly honors God.
Overall, these poems celebrate passion, love and life. While they lack the kind of fresh imagery and insight of more accomplished poetry, and are too often redundant, they may find an appreciative audience with those who enjoy light verse with an erotic flavor.
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