Singer and songwriter Emily Nash had quite an eventful childhood that was followed by equally exciting adolescence. Her days at university were similarly full of adventures, and as she cultivated her lyrical talents, she also wrote numerous poems encompassing the hijinks she and her friends partook in. Now she collects these rhymes and verses, which are accompanied by charming illustrations. She reflects upon those precious years of her youth and shares them with readers everywhere. "One for the Road" follows the path of her younger life and is full of good-natured humor suitable for children as well as adults.
Nash's pieces are universally relatable snapshots of various points in her life. The poem "Sea giant" was inspired by her holidays in Cornwall and the memories of a little girl before the gigantic sea that served as a depthless canvas for her young imagination. "The dogs and the guinea pigs" recounts the chaos of pet ownership and an incident from her childhood when their two dogs and two guinea pigs got loose in the garden.
"Geeky indecision" captures the anxieties and frustrations of university, particularly the process of switching courses and finding lots of interesting subjects while being uncertain of which path to pursue. This poem also shows the struggle to meet parental expectations and the need to just carry on with one's life. "Night out" captures clubbing life in Nottingham and how a dancer can rule the floor.
Nash also tackles serious subjects such as eating disorders in "Adulterous addiction," and mulls on the nature of greed, which is an offense to god and in her poem likens to a wife who cheats on her husband with food.
She also explores the spiritual side of pursuing passions and hobbies with her poem "Origami friend," which conveys the notion that God created humans through origami rather than by molding men and women from mud.
"One for the Road" contains sketches of places in Nash's town that she is fond of, including the local church and pubs.
"One for the Road" is an illustrated lyrical experience for both young audiences and adults, with rhymes and verses that can amuse as well as give readers food for thought.
"I wanted to compile the poems I had written during university years as I felt they would be fun to share and make you laugh at some of them I hope. They are easy to understand with regular rhythm and rhyme, appropriate to read to children and to enjoy as an adult reflecting on your own life yourself." Nash says.
About the Author
Emily Nash is a singer and songwriter from Guildford, U.K. She plays guitar, piano, and the flute and writes mainly worship music that invokes the natural world. She is also an avid writer of poems. She also enjoys making hats and headbands using decorative fabrics and tried creating face masks over the lockdown.
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