Welcome to a second serving of Gilleland Poetry! Those of us who've read Harry E. Gilleland's first book, Poetry for the Common Man, were much expecting the author's second collection of poems and storoems. Those ready to discover the wit and humor of Gilleland's writing are in for a soul-searching trip that, quite possible, helps them revisit their goals and ideals, and redefine their purpose in life. ...As for those who may wonder... a "storoem" is, as the author explains in "Introduction" to his second book, a term he coined as a "hybrid between a story and a poem, [such as] a story told with poetic techniques."
The verse of Gilleland Poetry: Storoems and Poems tackles contemporary, fresh topics, painting with words a poetic replica of our mundane, everyday existence. The verse offers us those unforgettable "a-ha" moments that make us laugh, sometimes cry, and, mostly, bring to life our own memories. As readers, we identify with many of the characters and their stories. Why wouldn't we? After all, their lives resemble ours and the characters remind us of ourselves or of everyday people we know-the boy next door, or the hero, the lover, parents and children, or the activist who fights for human and animal rights, for freedom and peace.
Some poems talk about contemporary events like the war in Iraq ("Returning Disabled") or Tsunami ("TSUNAMI!"). Other poems tackle timeless subjects like love, friendship, loss, and hope. In "WAR," for example, the poet captures the heroism, sorrow and loss we experience in any war, no matter its time, setting, or reason.
The idea of happiness-and love, in all its forms-appears in several poems as our goal we continuously pursue... but what kind of happiness are we striving for? Is it a tangible, achievable one, or just an illusion? To find out read poems like "In Search Of Paradise" and "Happiness Is Ephemeral."
Some verses celebrate the perpetual change of seasons through family events and holidays. From this group of poems, the ones expressing the author's perspective on life are especially significant, and, from those, maybe the most special praise for life comes to life in the author's autobiographical poem, "Today Is My 60th Birthday!."
Looking back at our time spent here, on Earth, we also look forward, to what awaits us. We usually tend to come to terms with our existence especially when we find ourselves facing our mortality straight in the eye. This is yet another subject of Gilleland Poetry. Many of its poems talk about life and death, creating bridges between the two worlds-Life and the Afterlife. For example, "The River Of Life" gives a poetic definition of life, one that will stay with us beyond the covers of this book. I personally found "The Interval Between" especially interesting. It talks about the interval-between our birth and death-that defines our life, as we know it, in all its beauty.
Verses create bridges not only between Life and Afterlife, but also between generation, thus, allowing us to learn from the past in order to better model our future.
Although all Gilleland's writing provokes thought and enriches our connection with our inner selves, many of his poems accomplish this task using humor and leaving us smiling long after we finish the read. Poems in this category deal with subjects like healthy living-our personal relation with the human vices (like food/overeating, for example). Some of my favorites are "My Morning Battle"-describing our daily, dreaded morning moments when we have to face (and step on) the scale-and "True Lust," initially published in Poetry for the Common Man, that offers us a peek inside our relationship with food.
Gilleland Poetry: Storoems and Poems gives us a reason to meditate on our existence and better understand the Universe in which we live. Gilleland Poetry enchants with its verse, surprises with its stories, and helps us recognize real happiness and love.

Gilleland Poetry/Storms and Poems is an awesome book of poetry. This book is filled with poems that anyone can relate to in any stage of their life. You will want to read and reread this book many, many times. Poems such as "Lost In Guilt" and "Living Life To The Fullest" are among the many treasures found in this book. Get a copy and find your favorites that you will want to read again and again. This collection should make a great addition to your personal library.



Reviewer:Mrs.Bonnie Florea is a published poet, web columnist and freelance writer of articles on various subjects. She has had two books of poetry published, the first one "Shades of Gray" self-published and the second "Uncovering My Eyes" by a traditional publisher. http://localbizalliance.com/bkflorea/shadesofgray.html