Poems That Almost Got Away - Reflections on Death and Life from Richard C. Richards is a collection of poems written over fifty years of his life. He wrote them when something struck him, as he tried to bring some vague experience into focus. He wanted to record what was going on in his life. In some, he just wanted to get an experience down on paper. Many of the poems deal with death. That is a respectable topic for a philosopher, a poet or anyone else who wants to understand this crazy disease called life, and not simply to get through it with as little thought as possible. Death is a concern, but not a preoccupation. Richards confides "I meet death occasionally for lunch, but we only talk about trivial things. We're not really good friends, but we tolerate each other. Many of these poems deal with death. That is a respectable topic for a philosopher, a poet or anyone else who wants to understand this crazy disease called life, and not simply to get through it with as little thought as possible. Death to me is a concern, but not a preoccupation. I meet death occasionally for lunch, but we only talk about trivial things. We're not really good friends, but we tolerate each other. Sometimes I joke. Sometimes you cannot tell whether I am joking or not. Neither can I...sometimes. Welcome." BOOK REVIEWS Review of Poems That Almost Got Away by Richard C. Richards by Peter Francev Poems That Almost Got Away is a fine collection of verse by a thoughtful and introspective poet. It is an absolute joy to read and contemplate; and its poems reward those who are willing to engage them in a playful tug between the serious and the humorous. Clearly Richards has spent a considerable amount of time creating these gems. At the very least, we owe it to him, his muse and his speaker to participate in the understanding of artistic expression. Review of Poems That Almost Got Away by Richard C. Richards by Ann Vitale The poems in this collection cover a period of more than 40 years and are divided into 'The Early Years' and 'The Later Years'. As the poet says in his foreword, "Many of the poems deal with death" and indeed they do - and not necessarily in a morbid or despairing manner. Don't try to read all the poems at once. To get the best out of Poems That Almost Got Away, dip into them, savour each one, and return to the volume often - you will be glad that you did. Review of Poems That Almost Got Away by Richard C. Richards by Dr. Reenah McGill Richard C. Richards' book of poetry, Poems That Almost Got Away, is a wonderful excursion behind the scenes which reveals over time how Richards transitions from a naive idealist to an almost curmudgeon. Throughout it all, he still manages to retain his ideal of seeing the good and accepting the not so great, while hoping for the grand actions we are all capable of. To read full reviews by Peter Francev and Ann Vitale, please visit www.poemsthatalmostgotaway.com Publisher: Healing Time Books
About the Author: Richard C. Richards, Professor of Philosophy Emeritus, taught various philosophy courses at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California, for nearly forty odd years. There he taught courses in Philosophy of the Arts, Ancient Philosophy, Medieval Philosophy, Logic and Semantics, Ethics, Business and Professional Ethics, Philosophy of Love and Sex, Aristotle, Existentialism, and The Philosophy of Humor. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of California Santa Barbara, and his graduate degrees at UCLA, where he specialized in medieval philosophy, especially the philosophies of William Ockham and John of Mirecourt. He and his wife of thirty years, Marlene, are enjoying retirement with travel, operas, and concerts. He also hybridizes irises and has won national awards with his introductions of irises into the national iris trade.