A beautifully written and poignantly wrought collection of poems that examines the little things in life that are often overlooked, Of Dreams and Realities by Frank Louis Johnson celebrates life’s acts of diligence and necessity. His poems are fearless and sincere in equal measure and prove that dreaming is not a matter of having a goal, but at its crux is indistinguishable from living life. In his poems, the distinction from one to the other is often inconsequential and merely a formality to feeling, emoting, speaking one’s mind, and completing a task. His poetic voice shares the perspective that savors twilight and the industrious acts of a flower’s pollen. The poet’s tradition of looking at the power of a shadow and the hope of small things resonates the splendor of subtlety. The fact is that all that does not seem to matter, really truly does. To dream is to live, to aspire is to believe, and to act is to authenticate.
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About the Author
Frank Louis Johnson received his master’s and doctorate from Teacher’s College at Columbia University in New York City and is a retired professor from Bowie State University in Maryland. Widely published in anthologies, his first full-length collection of poems, To Laugh and to Cry: Poems Mostly about Love and Disappointment was published by Vantage Press. He was an International Poet of Merit in both 2000 and 2001 and is a member of the International Society of Poets. He lives in Odenton, Maryland.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not Ready For Prime Time,
By Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE) (TOP 50 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Of Dreams and Realities (Paperback)
Frank L. Johnson is a teacher who has taught in both the public school sector as well as at the college level, having achieved a master's degree in childhood education and a doctorate degree in curriculum and supervision. Writing poetry is a sideline and an avenue it would seem he wants to pursue, what with the publication of this little book OF DREAMS AND REALITIES. The quality of writing demonstrates honesty of purpose and a desire to provide 'young adults with a fresh look at life's situations', but despite these lofty ideals, what appears in this selection of 37 poems shows evidence of a need to study poetry as a discipline.
Johnson's style is one of spontaneous outpouring of emotions about Mother's Day, Christmas, baking, friendship, and some personal philosophy about life. The problem here is not in the thoughts expressed but in the manner in which the words are placed on a page, seemingly more intent on rhyme than content. Another distraction from the finished 'book' is the random changing of font size and page placement that diminishes the seriousness of the presentation. Many people write poems for sharing thoughts with friends and family and that is the category where these poems find a comfort level. They do not appear to justify a public discussion - yet. The heart is there, the technique will hopefully come. Grady Harp, February 09
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Little of Interest Here,
By Benjamin Potter "Loom & Wheel" (Mulberry Grove, IL USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Of Dreams and Realities (Paperback)
The bio sheet that came with this little book of poems claims that Frank L. Johnson's work is thought of highly in the poetry community. The selections collected here are not prime examples. The overwhelming majority of the poems--trying to focus on everyday things and events to make them thoughtful--distract the reader.
Johnson's style, time and again, is to write in quatrains. The four-line verses are filled with near- to no-rhyme lines that are fighting for a rhyme scheme. One selection, "On Being Sensible," is arranged in couplets, but when read, would find a better fit arranged as quatrains. Oddly, an imitative take on one of my all-time favorite poems finds its way into the book twice. The title of the poem is "Let Your Dreams Mature" and it wavers from the quatrain versing by holding its own as a single, five-line stanza. The message seems to be the same as Langston Hughes espouses in "Dream Deferred" but Johnson's poem leaves the reader wondering whether he really gets it. Some of the selections start well, but lose steam in the reading. For instance, "Dreaming Out Loud" gives a comical view of one brother teasing another who began talking in his dreams. This selection starts with a bang and ends with a whimper. "Henry's Drinking" is a nice little two stanza poem which would find its ranks among the great if the second stanza were omitted. Having said that, there are some redeeming selections in the book: of specific interest would be the poem "Show Me the Way" found on page 29, and the closing selection entitled "You Said You Couldn't Do It. But You Did." In his favor, Johnson has kept the book short (only about 39 selections, rarely over a page in length), and the design of the book shows his intention. The selections themselves look more like a journal than a collection of poems, and might work better as prose to get the writer's thought across. I can only award the collection one and one-half reading glasses, and wish Dr. Johnson more success in later projects.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pleasure to Read,
This review is from: Of Dreams and Realities (Paperback)
This is the first grownup poetry book I have ever reviewed, so let me say a little bit about what kind of poetry I like. I like poetry that tells a clear story, not something you have to breakdown and analyze every sentence. I tend to like love poems--something I just realized after reading this. This book has what I like. My favorite was the first poem, "Accidentally on Purpose". The rest of the poetry was good, not great but good.
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