Readers of Stephen Wiley's first volume of poetry will find themselves at home as they leaf through the pages of his new book. As in "Hero Island," reverence of nature and nature's ways illuminate every line of "Mockingbird Come Home," which is divided into three sections. The first, "Where We Live," paints miniature portraits of three regions of the country where the poet has spent most of his long (more than three-quarters of a century), rich and varied life: New Jersey, Vermont and Florida. In the second, "Who We Are," Wiley tells of people he has known and loved - and of those who have passed on. The eight poems in the final pages, "Poems on Poetry," speak of life's final departure.

Mockingbird Come Home

Stephen B. Wiley
Oasis Publishers (2007)
ISBN 0976625113
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (8/07)


“Mockingbird Come Home” is the second book of poetry written by Stephen B. Wiley.  He separates his poems into three areas of his book.  The first is “Where We Live.”  In this part, he writes mainly about places in Vermont, New Jersey, and Florida.  Each poem has its own flavor, so that you know the place he is writing about is distinctive.  The second part is titled, “Who We Are.”  In this section he muses about his experiences surrounding youth, life, and death.  In the final part, “Poems on Poetry,” Mr. Wiley intersperses poems about poetry throughout the book. These poems stand out because they are typed in bold face print and placed on the opposite sides of the page of the other poems.

I really enjoyed reading these works.  Wiley manages to convey feelings through his poems in a few short paragraphs.  He frequently touches upon nature.  Having grown up back east, yet now living on the west coast, reading his poems brought back special memories that I had about living back there.  He brings dimension to his poetry by making you feel like you are seeing the words, instead of just reading them. 

In his writings about his family, he brought smiles to my face, especially when writing about his grandchildren.  His words were also very touching in writing about his parents.  His words are quite heartfelt.  I envision this author as being someone that can sit and contemplate on something very simple that is going on around him, such as leaves falling or birds whistling and then turn it into a beautiful poem that touches the reader.

Enjoy “Mockingbird Come Home.”  I also think that it would be greatly appreciated as a gift.  This is especially true for people who enjoy nature and family.