Amazon Diamonds from Coal Target Category:  Poetry Publisher: Publish America ISBN-10:  1605632163 Type: Non-Fiction Pages: 95 Copyright: March 31, 2008 ISBN-13: 9781605632162 Personal poems about life and existence. These poems came from the heart.  The "flagship" that started all of this was a poem entitled, "Love, Dad", a poem I wrote after reading the Bible to my son before bed.  He hugged me and told me he loved me and I sat down and wrote the poem as it is today, without re-writes.  It was accepted to The Red River Review and off we go! Excerpt an excerpt from "1/31/03, UNCC campus", pg. 46 As he struggles with his steel chariot he makes his way, chilled around students, up walkways, wet using hands, feet, arms, heart Suddenly, as a warm shower On this cold day, a face...

MyShelf.com review
Jonathan Bolick read Robert Frost’s "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" and was fascinated by the images and feelings that the words to this poem evoked. This experience led him to write poems of the simple but important things of life.

The book is divided into four chapters: Family, Friend, Fall, Forever and Haiku. The first poem in the Family chapter, "Love Dad," expresses his love for his son, but he does not use the words, "I love you." Somehow there was no need. In another poem, "The daughter I’ll never see," he expresses his feelings for a daughter he will never have.

All the poems are about simple things but paint an image that brings simple things into focus as important. Such was the case with "Rose." "It has thorns as well as beautiful petals, / as we look at it's (sic) beauty."

In "Frozen Moments" the author uses lines that remind one of the closing lines in "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" "Miles and dreams from here / you will wonder and remember."

The poems in the final chapter, Haiku, are not as engaging as those in other chapters, but judged on the merits of the genre, they show some skill by the author in this poetic form.

Diamonds from Coal is a collection of poems that would make a good gift for someone who loves the family and its values.