Book Review: Poems Please

Reviewed by Elizabeth Zender

Love, nature, travel, and word-play: this poetry book has something for everyone.

Through this eclectic and flowing collection, John Pare takes readers on quite a journey. 

In the first section, Pare’s poetry depicts the English countryside with its idyllic farmlands, wisened villages, and rare sunshine. He writes page after page of beautiful, dreamy descriptions to tantalize any reader and to entice any homebody into wanting to visit. 

My personal favorite from this section is “Leaf Cutting,” which includes both color-based imagery and a beautiful feeling of being amongst the trees. This stands out as the quintessential nature poem, something you might read and think that yes, you should reconnect with the outside world, and you should do it right now.

Throughout the second section, titled “Travels,” Pare shares the simple pleasures of life that can become monotonous when viewed through the same window all your life. He writes of camping surrounded by trees, clouds, and the sounds of sea birds. In “Colonsay Contemplations,” he addresses the concerns of humanity’s love of the man-made, saying that “Delight is to be found not in a coloured-picture box, But in the real vibrant colours of creation.” Pare’s travels around Europe and beyond reflect on family, memories, and the delights given by the Earth itself.

Section three is a treasure trove of word-play, sharing lighthearted reveries in response to a wide variety of things, such as children’s rhymes and dating culture. Throughout this collection, Pare plays with poetic structure, trying on different rhyme schemes and meters; here, this experimentation is most reflective, as he moves from poem to poem with a flurry of stylistic choices, seeming to mirror the changes in topic. From letters to the author and his own Swiss Army knife to celebrations on growing older, there is something to enjoy for so many readers.

The final part of this collection is on Pare’s partner, Caroline, to whom the book is dedicated. While there is fantastic imagery and figurative language throughout, here is where it truly shines. The love Pare has for his wife is obvious, and it makes the words come to life on the page. With works like “The Lover,” reminiscent of epics, and the sweetness of “Come Back To Bed,” section four takes Pare’s writing to new heights, showering the reader (and undoubtedly Caroline) with love. 

Poems Please is that rare breed that will be a fast favorite for both poetry lovers and those new to it. Each page brings something new and engaging, a different perspective, or an often overlooked beauty. Pare brings vibrance to recurrent themes—this book is a joy. I recommend finding time to sit down with a cup of tea and getting cozy with Poems Please.

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