Book Review by Stoianka Boianova and Minko Tanev
Book
Title: Sincerely Speaking Spiritually
Author: Joseph
S Spence Sr
Publisher: WestBow Press
Page
Numbers Source ISBN: 1973683911
Language: English
Publication
Year: 21 February 2020
Paperback: 134 pages
Sold by: Amazon.com Services
LLC
Price: kindle $4.79, hardcover
$28.95, paperback from $11.95
The verse collection Sincerely Speaking Spiritually by Joseph S. Spence Sr. appeared in one of
the most dramatic periods for humanity and the world - the pandemic COVID-19.
Millions of people get infected, thousands die. The book comes as a message
Above: to give us hope, to fill us with faith, and to give us love. The God's ways
are unknown. For lovers of poetry, for believers, desperate and inspired, sick
and healthy, for those who will find the grace of heaven tomorrow, Joseph S.
Spence Sr. opens the heavenly door. And he pronounces the most sincere prayers
to God on his own behalf and on our behalf.
His poetry is with biblical sound, a fantastic flight of
thought, inspired and dictated by God! The words are filled with all-pervading
energy. They lift and exalt. They bring
us back the lost harmony and wholeness, fill us with love in our reading. And
we resonate with divine purity, radiating positivism. This is how we feel
involved and included in the great creative mission of uplifting the human
race, encouraging and illuminating our thoughts. Initially, we become complicit
in the creative explosions of the Word. We are flowing into the mighty stream
of astral energies that flood the world.
The image of the cover is unprecedented - the heavenly doors
are open, light is coming in with Jesus, eager to embrace the earth with all beings.
And because "In the beginning was the Word," from there come forth
words arranged in prayer verses that illuminate us internally.
The book contains a rich variety of literary genres and
artistic techniques: ode, ballad, sonnet, free verse, sestet, tanka, quintet,
haiku, senru, tercet, and more. But they
all carry the energy and charge of prayer, glorifying God and his creations.
The author fixes various poetic forms,
shares the occasion for writing some works, and the collection of poems
acquires a cognitive and cosmogonic effect. He inspires us: „Poetic prayers, in reality, are God’s words
spoken in a different form and style for great understanding and is a unique
precious language of grace and reverence.”
He turns to us with an unexpected insight:
"My People,
if We Must Die My people, if we must die, let it not result
from being unable to serve the cause for the betterment of humankind ...
My people,
if we must die, let it not
result from anger and reprisal against each other instead of sitting down in
peace and love ...
My people,
if we must die, let it not
result from the thirst or want of righteousness and lack of God’s salvation...
My people,
if we must die, let it not
result from the lack of beautiful songs stimulating our souls, with God’s love
radiating from the magnificent choral voices of our children and grandchildren
immersing themselves in our great cultural heritage of wisdom, knowledge,
spirituality, and understanding...”
These exclamations sound prophetic in
today's pandemic world. Great words from a true ambassador for literature
around the world who has accepted the Word for his mission. The verse
collection is the apotheosis of the Love to God.
"Your time has come" gives us
hope that God has a plan for each of us and that our lives "should be more than just an ordinary
existence". In "We Are Still Standing" he calls: "Through it all, never, Never should God’s
people fall. Fall never; through it all, God’s people are still standing!"
"Christ Lives Today" lifts our
spirits with faith: "Christ, our Savior,Lives today. His mighty
power Is shown each and every day. His unending love is here to stay. He lives
today in many ways.” The author
urges us not to forget how "the love
of God brought us from clay to this day. By His love, He is the potter, molding
us in many ways. "
We rediscover Christmas love for family,
for the mother, the father, prayers for people with various illnesses, prayer
for soldiers, for Father's Day, for all children, prayer for suicidal thoughts,
for Thanksgiving Day, prayer for cease school violence.
“If Only: Parent’s Challenge” painfully reminds us: “If only children and parents would get along,
Things would be great in the land. If only children would show respect, Then
things would probably be perfect.”
Let's rationalize Joseph S. Spence Sr.'s
messages in "Heads Up": "Keep your head
up high always. Always look up to heaven in time and space. His love looks down
upon you, On all seven days, radiates all around, Touching His great creation.”
Sincerely Speaking Spiritually is one of
the most uplifting books designed to bring us back to God and the grace of God.
As the poet says: "It’s spoken
and unspoken words unto the senses yearning for a higher order of creation. It
is to be expected in a world of instability instituting God’s stability through
intersession. It’s the precious unveiling of a newly found revelation of higher
existence for the mind, body, and soul.”
-----------------------------------------
Bio of Joseph S. Spence, Sr.
His Excellency, Dr. Amb. Prof.
Joseph S. Spence, Sr., authored nine poetry books, and invented: Epulaeryu,
Seventh Heaven, God’s Dynamic Steps, and Linking Pin Sonnet poetry forms, while
studying English literary science, creative writing, poetry, and African
Diaspora, at University of Wisconsin. His writings appeared internationally in
forums such as: peer reviewed journals, anthologies, magazines, newspapers,
ezines, and the U. S. Army. He taught at Bryant and Stratton University, and
Marquette University, Wisconsin. He retired from the U.S. Army as a decorated
field grade officer. He was appointed, Goodwill Ambassador for Arkansas, USA,
by Governor William Jefferson Clinton, (former United States President), for
his dedicated and selfless contribution in helping students at University of
Arkansas, Little Rock, prepare for graduate school, and citizens to achieve their
perceived goals. He has received numerous awards from worldwide poetry
organizations, including: Poetry Bard (UK), Independent Poetry Laureate (USA),
Global Icon of Humanity and Spiritual Services (India), Ambassador of Humanity
(Morocco), and Poetry Star, World Nation Writers Union (Kazakhstan). He has
been inducted into various international scholastic honor societies such as:
Golden Key International Honour Society, Phi Theta Kappa Scholastic Honor
Society, National Technical Honor Society, Phi Theta Phi International
Scholastic Honor Society, and others based on his studiousness. He has
conducted a variety of poetry seminars, workshops, and recitals worldwide. His
poems are published in: Arabic, Spanish, Chinese, African Yoruba, Japanese,
Polish, French, Scottish Gaelic, Hindi, Assam, Bengali, Jamaican Patois/Potwa
and Rastafarian. He embraces his paternal Scottish heritage, has membership in
the Scottish poetry bard, Robert Burns Club, served as poet-in-residence, St.
Andrew’s Scottish Society, and resides in Wisconsin, USA.
Reviewer's bio: The creative tandem Stoianka Boianova and Minko Tanev is from Bulgaria.
Stoianka Boianova
Master’s degree in Physics. Author of twelve books: poetry, novel,
collection of short stories, published in Bulgaria. Co-author of a bilingual
haiku book, published in India. Participated in anthologies and editions in
Japan, Philippines, India, Vietnam, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Northern Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia,
Poland, Germany, France, England, USA, Africa. Editor. In the European Top 100
most creative haiku authors. Numerous awards around the world, including Gold
Stars from Global Literary Society, Gold Quill - POEMarium, Platinum Valentine
- Literature Lovers' Association, Cupid Award - Poetry Planet. In list of the Best Poets – Writers of World,
2019, World Nations Writers’ Union.
Minko Tanev
Lecturer of Bulgarian language for foreign students - Medical
University, Plovdiv. Author of 6 books of poetry, published in Bulgaria.
Co-author of a bilingual haiku book, published in India. Participated in
anthologies and editions in Japan, Philippines, India, Vietnam, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia,
Croatia, Germany, France, England, USA, Africa. Editor of over 70 books.
Numerous awards around the world, including Gold Stars from Global Literary
Society, Red Quills - POEMarium, Platinum Star- Literature Lovers' Association,
Cupid Award - Poetry Planet. In list of the Best Poets – Writers of World,
2019, World Nations Writers’ Union.
Annotation
The review by Stoianka Boianova and Minko
Tanev analyzes the new collection of
poems Sincerely Speaking
Spiritually by Joseph S. Spence Sr.
against the backdrop of one of the most dramatic periods for humanity
and the world - the pandemic COVID-19. The all-pervading energy of words lift
and exalt us, fill us with love of life, sound prayerful and prophetic.
The readers have a chance to meet one of
the most uplifting books designed to bring us back to God and the grace
of God.
