From Life to Death

By Richard Allen Brooks

If you are seeking perfect rhyme and meter, go no further because you are
about to read the wrong book of poetry. If, however, you are seeking thoughtful
introspection, reasoned thought and query, interrogatory and response, then
proceed to read this book, for that is just what is in store for you in this first
compilation of the poetic expressions of Richard Allen Brooks.
No one can fully understand or appreciate the works of another person. We
each bring to our interpretation our own set of experiences through which we
must view the work. We have not lived the authors life, tribulations, exalts,
despair, disappointments, or jubilations.
Our interpretation of the authors work is thus a skewed vision of what the
author intended in the original meaning of the work, even if only slightly, and
it must be so in order to fit within the confines of our own personal experience,
which must always be different from that of the author, if not in kind then in
degree.
Starting with A Friend Indeed that offers encouragement, Your Name
tells of living your life but never obtaining the goals youve set for yourself,
while The Falling Snow was a quiet timeafter the loss of mother dear,
sitting on the steps of my younger sisters home, just looking out the window
at the flakes landing here and there. Another one, How Sad This Day,
expresses a loss after losing another loved one and then there is Between
Atlantic and Pacific, an awareness of those who died during World War II and
a memorial dedicated to them.
Additionally, the reader must be advised that Mr. Brooks, throughout his
life, has been a tireless giver of his time and energy to the advancement of
mankind in every manner at his disposal. As much joy as his work has brought
him, it has also contained bitter returns through many people who mistook his
willingness to be of assistance as a weakness and, thus, resulted in significant
pain and disappointment being experienced by Richard.
There are many other themes running through this work. However, there are
three predominant and recurring themes, which the reader will be confronted withRichards profound sense of loss on the death of his mother, a search for
direction, and the passing of time.
This work should be read with deliberation. Much of what it has to offer
cannot be appreciated through casual, mindless reading. However, if you take
the time to think about not just what is being said, but why it is being said and
the message that is being conveyed in each poem, you will come away from
this book greatly enriched in your understanding of the significance of love,
loyalty, commitment, compassion, and understanding not just for your fellow
man but for yourself.
Marilyn V. Joyner

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 9, 2011
• ISBN: 9781456853372

Richard Allen Brooks

About the Author Richard Allen Brooks is an educated social psychologist having worked for the Federal Government, the Motion Pictures Industry and the Aerospace Industry during his active professional career. After retiring in 2003, receiving encouragement from both family and friends Mr. Brooks continued to pursue writing his poetry. “From Life To Death” his first book of poetry. This is his second book of poetry. He has a number of poems ready for a third book. “I find my writing poetry is very inspiring and relaxing” Mr. Brooks has also completed a theatrical piece titled the “The Obliteration of the Black Man” Along with his third book of poetry, he is preparing to write a book regarding his experiences with the creation of an inturn program while in the motion pictures industry.

Book preview

CONTENTS

Foreword

L I F E

A Friend Indeed

A Mother’s Love

A Tribute To Howard

Adventurous Living

Alaska—Dreary And Gloomy

Australia—The Bridge Beyond

Barbara’s Journey

Baron O’brien

Between Atlantic And Pacific

Black Brother

Bright Life, Dimmed Life, Dark Life

Cecelia Aka Trinket

Changing Of The Guards

Dame Johnson

Do I Trust?

Emperor King

Farewell, Those We Knew

Give Your Life A Chance

Go

Good-Bye Forever

He Listened

How Comforting

How Sad This Day

How Wondrous!

I Hear The Alarm

I Wonder

I Wonder Why?

If I Was There

In The Charm Of Springtime

In The Morning

Indulgence Of My Illusion

John John

Lady Annie

Lady Marilyn’s Gown

Let Me Rest

Lord Jenkins

Mass Confusion

Mercy, Mercy Me

My Cellophane Prince

My Dad

My Fear

My Hours Of Reminiscing

My 9-11-01

My Inquisition

My Time Has Come

My Part

My Sister, My Sister

No Ordinary Man

One Never Knows

Our Courageous Prince

Our Queen Mother

Prancers

Pray

Prince Charming

Prince Daniel

Princess Brandi

Questioning Love

Raymond, My Friend

Recesses Of My Mind

Reflections Of Mother Dear

Rich White Womens’ Audacity

Sergeant/General Sonny Patten

Selfishness

Shades Of Clouds

S H O U T

Sir Bruce

Sir Dorian Frank

Songs

Thanksgiving Time

The Celebration Of Life And Death

The Falling Snow

The Gentle Duke

The Pain Kept Coming

The Sad Young Man

The Silence Of Ozzie

These Senior Years

This Night

This Troubled World

T I M E

To Know Me

Wake Up, Brothers And Sisters

Where Are We Going?

You Don’t Really Know Me

Your Name

Death

This book is dedicated to the memories of my mother, ETHEL MARIE BROOKS FLEET, and my longtime friend JOSEPH BERNARD DAVIS. His death inspired my first poem, LIFE.

FOREWORD

If you are seeking perfect rhyme and meter, go no further because you are about to read the wrong book of poetry. If, however, you are seeking thoughtful introspection, reasoned thought and query, interrogatory and response, then proceed to read this book, for that is just what is in store for you in this first compilation of the poetic expressions of Richard Allen Brooks.

No one can fully understand or appreciate the works of another person. We each bring to our interpretation our own set of experiences through which we must view the work. We have not lived the author’s life, tribulations, exalts, despair, disappointments, or jubilations.

Our interpretation of the author’s work is thus a skewed vision of what the author intended in the original meaning of the work, even if only slightly, and it must be so in order to fit within the confines of our own personal experience, which must always be different from that of the author, if not in kind then in degree.

Starting with A Friend Indeed that offers encouragement, Your Name tells of living your life but never obtaining the goals you’ve set for yourself, while The Falling Snow was a quiet time—after the loss of mother dear, sitting on the steps of my younger sister’s home, just looking out the window at the flakes landing here and there. Another one, How Sad This Day, expresses a loss after losing another loved one and then there is Between Atlantic and Pacific, an awareness of those who died during World War II and a memorial dedicated to them.

Additionally, the reader must be advised that Mr. Brooks, throughout his life, has been a tireless giver of his time and energy to the advancement of mankind in every manner at his disposal. As much joy as his work has brought him, it has also contained bitter returns through many people who mistook his willingness to be of assistance as a weakness and, thus, resulted in significant pain and disappointment being experienced by Richard.

There are many other themes running through this work. However, there are three predominant and recurring themes, which the reader will be confronted with—Richard’s profound sense of loss on the death of his mother, a search for direction, and the passing of time.

This work should be read with deliberation. Much of what it has to offer cannot be appreciated through casual, mindless reading. However, if you take the time to think about not just what is being said, but why it is being said and the message that is being conveyed in each poem, you will come away from this book greatly enriched in your understanding of the significance of love, loyalty, commitment, compassion, and understanding not just for