Birds and Other Beasts

R. H. Peake
iUniverse (2007)
ISBN 9780595465996
Reviewed by William Phenn for Reader Views (01/08)

R. H. Peake began his writing career later in his life as an undergraduate at The University of Virginia. Having received an award from the English department faculty, he went on to become the poetry editor for the university’s magazine. His poems have been published in journals and magazines and he has a book and chapbook completed. As an amateur ornithologist and avid bird watcher his poetry centers on his love of these flying creatures.

“Birds and Other Beasts” is a collection of Mr. Peake’s finest work. It contains some of his older work, his award winners such as “Greek Gifts” and a multitude of his varied style. Mr. Peake’s love of birds and nature are very deeply rooted and it is obvious in his work. His poetry portrays the frailty of our little feathered friends, their plight for survival in a cruel world. So descriptive was his verbiage when he wrote such works as “Snowy Owl” in Virginia or “Flower Garden.”
 
With so many variations of poetry being offered, Mr. Peake shows the reader that he is not limited in his style. Loose blank verse, free verse, rhymed traditional form and syllabics were all well represented in “Birds and Other Beasts.”  Unconventional in his style and a bit unorthodox, Richard shows his romantic side with such poems as “Morning Song.”  Although the ending is not a happy one, it begins as any love affair.

Now we get down to the grand total of all the above compliments and comments. If I had to sum up “Birds and Other Beasts” in one word, “complicated” would be the best I could say.  I don t know if I want to read a complicated book when I go out to find a book of poetry.  When I read a poetry book, I want to be in a place where I have a vivid description of something. A place where the words flow smoothly and with a rhythm, not rhyming necessarily; but it must have a nice flow. I didn’t find that to be the case here and gave it a B- on my alphabetical scale.

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