Sweet Music :

Rating:
Summary: Commendable Debut
Review: Gerry Fraser Bryant shares very individual expressions through his poetry and prose in Sweet Music; however, he peppers the strong emotions with light scenes and ideas that quickly bring smiles to his readers' faces.

He begins his book with his and this reviewer's favorite, "Eight Little Letters," which endearingly declares the speaker's love for another. It is definitely a cute start and encourages Bryant's audience to continue.

"Grains of Sand" fittingly follows in Part Two. It describes the passage of one's life using the sea as a metaphor for time. Commenting on the wonder of a young child, the confidence of youth, and the creeping of age upon a man, it ends with an invitation to gain wisdom in carefully listening to the man's voice, as could be accomplished by studying history.

The next section is devoted to religious poetry. Although "Thank God!" proved a bit confusing for this reviewer, "The Valley of Shadows" elucidated the author's views about God and the assistance God provides to those who request it. Bryant does this not only through the literal narration in "The Valley of Shadows" but also through the use of active imagery.

"Blank Page" is a cute cure of writer's block. In this poem, Bryant actually appreciates his paper for assisting him in the creation of his art. This theme is similar to the one in "What's Coming Out?" about his pen which is featured earlier in Part Five.

Part Six contains a wealth of poetry to share with loved ones at special times. "Sweet 16" encompasses love and advice from a parent to a son during a time when the youth will deal with both insecurities and overconfidence. "If You Can (21st Birthday)" is along the same lines, but it's noticeably written for a more mature reader with stronger counsel to strive to be one's best while being forgiving of others and situations. "Halloween" is simply fun--so much in fact that another poem later portrays this holiday again. "Dearest Mother (86th Birthday)" shows the poet's personal relationship with his mother and gratitude for her care and comfort throughout his life; yet, through imagery of camping and rowing on a calm lake to being tucked into bed at night, Bryant's feelings are universally engaging.

Bryant's next part covers more morbid settings, but the book ends with his earlier prose and much encouragement to the audience to record their own feelings.

Overall, this is a commendable debut for Bryant.