Point of Reference

By r.b.seals

US Review of Books, February 2014
RECOMMENDED by the USR
(Few) compilations are as thorough and encompassing as Point of Reference. Sealsmost intriguing poems are those where he digs deeper on topics that humanity is so afraid to look in the eye.Seals never ceases to impress with his understanding and utilization of rhythm and rhyme. Poems such as "Heartstring" deliver an almost musical feel....Overall, Seals poetry is infused with vivid imagery.Without a doubt, this is a must read that will likely be a source for healthy discussions in society.[complete text]
Reviewed by Mihir Shah

ForeWord Reviews, June 2013
Five Stars (out of Five)
"...Point of Reference, is like taking a peak into someones diary. These lyrical poems offer the reader thought-provoking metaphors about the realities of the world, from a brief encounter with a robin to tough topics like abortion and assault....The diverse points of view and confessional voices provide new lenses with which to see the world....The poems encourage the reader to take a step back from familiar situations in order to see from a new angle and react against the status quo."[complete text]
Lisa Bower

"Some of the poems are very insightful and make you delve into the topic questioning your own beliefs. Others are very dark and I felt very uneasy reading them as if I was looking into someones soul and their deepest, darkest secrets."
Bobbie Lutz
Dover, Delaware

"Poetry is a metaphor for life and humans have worked to reflect our lives in poetry the way other craftsman have left their marks on the world in stone or marble. The effect of poetry as art is similar, and as profound, and often as lasting and durable in its own form.

In his latest collection of poetry, Mr. Seals has gathered ideas as diverse as can be conceived, but their disparity holds common the art of humanity. Images of cows in pasture share pages with grappling with a fathers death and the authors thoughts on extremist ideals.

It is obvious from the beginning through the end that Mr. Seals wishes to provoke thoughts on tough topics and hold a mirror to the ideals we sometimes hold dear. Many of the pieces he has chosen for the collection tackle topics that we as a community often deal with and even dwell on, but topics we rarely choose for polite discussion. These issues are dealt with in digestible parts that help us quantify and understand our own emotions.

Ones decision to have an abortion, or dealing with domestic abuse in a religion that condemns divorce are not debates we often choose to have, but issues that require thought and consideration nonetheless. Good poetry succeeds when it exposes lifes truths in a way that makes us re-examine our beliefs and re-consider the viewpoints. Mr. Seals succeeds in squaring the righteous and moral with his sparse prose and lays bare many emotionally fraught issues."
Amanda MacDonnell
Yorktown, Virginia

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: Jun 12, 2012
• ISBN: 9781466940222

r.b.seals

A resident of central Delaware, the author currently serves as an IT system administrator for county government in neighboring Queen Anne’s County, Maryland. When not writing or indulging his passion for flight or scuba diving, he pursued his goal of continuing education graduating from the Community College of the Air Force, Wesley College and Wilmington University, earning a Master’s degree in education. A native of Westerville, Ohio, he served twenty-four years in the United States Air Force—initially in the field of aircraft maintenance, then later as an air traffic controller for nineteen years.

Book preview

© Copyright 2012, 2014 r.b.seals.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

ISBN: 978-1-4669-4024-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4669-4023-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4669-4022-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012909812

Trafford rev. 02/25/2014

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Contents

Dedicated To

Acknowledgments

In Remembrance

Introduction

Grazeland

Iniquity

Nandaleena

Dispensation

This Day

Full Circle

Allegiance

Far Point

A Higher Calling

Emissary

Castaway

Light of Day

School Daze

Lives on the Edge

Faction Nation

Wishing

Ode to the White Dove

Good Tidings

Sentinel

Dawn’s Early Light

Continuum

Carnival

Bearers of the Faith

Where the Rabbits Run

Casualty of War

La Maison du Mystère

Rise and Fall

Life Force

Change of Life

Failure Analysis

On Holy Ground

Span of Control

Heartstring

On Diverging Course

Star

Ruminations

Anderson Bay

Locality

Eight Twenty-Three

Status Quo

The Lesser Kind

Brief Encounter

Nemesis

A Wish 4 You

Voyageur Infini

Crossroad

Solstice

Running on Empty

Fade From Glory

Descendant

Counterworks

Lamentation

Winners’ Circle

On Self Destruct

Crimson Tide

Messenger

February Day

Escapade

Past Light

Mandate for a New Age

Natural Resource

Annotation

Valediction

Also by r.b.seals

Words Left Unsaid

Vantage Press®

New York

2002

Caeli

enarrant gloriam

Dei

(The heavens bespeak the glory of God)

Dedicated To

Kaviclairich,

My lasting love, loyalty, understanding and support.

Cheryl,

My devotion, kindness, and sacrifice.

My Siblings,

A lifetime of love and memories I shall never know.

QAC,

A wonderful community of guys and gals.

Eight-Oh-Three,

A special statement of love and gratitude♦

&

Masters of the written word known as writers,

My deepest respect and admiration.

Acknowledgments

To you, my deepest thanks to a cadre of devoted readers for their unending support and encouragement during the creation of this work. The kind and faithful few include:

Sam Auchterlonie

Jackie Cogar

Nancy Haggerty

Martha Hermann

Amy Lorenz

Bobbie Lutz

Radhika Paruchuri **

Beth Pinder

Jennifer Stansbury **

Teresa Ward    

Mary White

A special, sincere and grateful appreciation is extended to Amanda MacDonnell for her important, critical and timely contribution to this publication.

** Denotes pre-publication editors.

In Remembrance

Richard Harlan Seals

1978-2009

Jacqueline Anne Jackie Cogar

1947-2008

Heavy is the heart in pain as

One breathes the anguished sigh,

Recalling her gifts of self and love

As all who loved her ask why!

Is this the price we pay: blessed,

Yet cursed in such a way—

This loss our payment for gifts she

Gave that heaven has taken away?

Cheated, disappointment reigns

That we could not say goodbye

To a lady fated with life too brief

And unselfish love we can’t deny.

Grateful, we offer humble thanks for

The life she lived and loved so much,

As too her special kind of humanity that

Gave comfort to the lives she touched.

―RBS

"Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and

the thought has found words."

Robert Frost

American Poet (1874-1963)

_________________

"Poetry is an orphan of silence.

The words never quite equal the experience behind them."

Charles Simic