We were always wired to know that anatomically speaking; we need food to survive, nourish us, and give us energy. All the while, it is true; it left us hanging as to where we should get our food for the soul—the short answer, everywhere and anywhere. Our versions of “food for the soul” depend on us, and it changes form and shape depending on our point of view. It can be manifested into forms of prose, verses, songs, and poetry. And in this case, Iain Forbes proves that poetry is indeed one face that feeds our soul in his book, “And There’s More.”
“My poems hit me like an epiphany. My life experiences are a matter of making connections, from what on the surface appears arbitrary incidents or circumstances,” Forbes said in his follow-up poetry book for From Millport to Eternity. And There is More contains thirty-six poems that span from poems like “Always love your family,” which talks about how families should be loved regardless, how they should be cherished as long as they live because they are so fragile and death is right around the corner waiting to steal them away and leave only the memories you created behind; this poem talks about how the void can be wiped away but not the sadness that will always linger in our hearts. To poems such as “Forgotten Dreams,” where it reminisces about dreams that remain for a while but only last, not for a lifetime; dreams that give us temporary euphoria but tucked away in memories-past, “those dreams that never last.” Familial Love, dreams, faith, memories, nostalgia, and many more are highlights of this creative project. The book follows many narratives in poetry that will surely stir our emotions but, more importantly, embed something in our minds.
Iain Forbes was born on the Winter Solstice of 1953 in Glasgow, shortly after World War II. He had left school almost illiterate due to dyslexia and because of a selective education system that necessitated him to attend evening and further education classes. Forbes has always struggled with dyslexia, and it was during his time when its existence was not recognized by Education Authorities in the 1950s and 1960s, which was thought of as irrelevant. However, Forbes still developed his love for writing has always written poetry ever since he was fifteen years old and has remained an essential part of his life up to retirement.
There are many faces to which we can feed our souls. And it is no wonder that poetry stands up high and proud in those faces because it gives us pieces of epiphany creatively weaved into one single art. Poetry lets us connect and find meaning in our experiences. And Iain Forbes does it well in his latest book, “And There’s More.”
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