| Reviews
- Poetry to God, Volume 1 by Terry Webb - RECOMMENDED BY THE U.S. REVIEW OF BOOKS
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reviewed by Mihir Shah
"No One knows how long they have
Till their time is past
So try and live your life each day
As if it were your last."
With over two hundred poems diving into the spiritual journey of everyman, this collection forms the poet's impassioned plea for the masses to awaken from the slumber of earthly activities and seek God. He understands, better than most, that no individual is a model of perfection; however, his emphasis with his poetry compilation is on growth and ultimately embracing the love of the Lord into one's heart. From his darkest days, he discovered the mercy of God and believes that anyone else can too. This conviction is strongly prevalent in each poem he composes.
"The Dream" is Webb's version of the warning signal to man that he is headed down the wrong path. However, there are many more poems, including "If Jesus Comes Today," "For You I Died," and "Believe," that focus on washing sin away before judgment day arrives. Faith based poems can often fall into the trap of simply preaching. This collection is different. The man behind the words has been tested, and his own discovery of God and the ensuing happiness gives the poetry a genuine feel.
Another theme that is nearly universal in Webb's work is the idea of God's love, mercy, and sacrifice versus man's sin on earth. Poems like "Does Anyone Care Anymore?," "Christ Paid," and "One Life to Live" are exemplary pieces that depict this theme. Led by "Grow to Know Jesus," the idea of change or growth is a staple of the work as well. Webb is convinced that one cannot seek, much less find, God if he is not willing to change himself, alluding to the ideal example of "O Lucifer," which portrays the stubbornness of an angel turned greatest sinner.
"Eyes of Faith" teaches the reader to view the world with belief rather than the common "I'll believe it when I see it," philosophy. Terry Webb's collection seeks to provide all mankind with eyes of faith. For Christians worldwide, Poetry of God will be received warmly and will have readers flocking to the other volumes in this series.
RECOMMENDED by the USR ©2014 All Rights Reserved • The US Review of Books
- Poetry to God, Volume 2 by Terry Webb - RECOMMENDED BY THE U.S. REVIEW OF BOOKS
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reviewed by John E. Roper
"He is a friend that's always there-
He's closer than a brother,
He's there to meet thy deepest needs-
To comfort, like no other."
Christian poetry is not a new method of expressing one's faith. The earliest examples come directly from the Bible's Old Testament, but the tradition has continued into modern times. Some writers such as Donne and Blake channeled their beliefs into masterpieces of literature, while others such as Helen Steiner Rice wrote to inspire the common man. The author of this collection falls into this latter category, offering up simple poems of hope, love, and trust designed to lead others to a new or richer life in Christ.
Although predominantly evangelistic, the selections in this second collection of Webb's verse cover a wide range of Christian topics. Some focus on specific ways that God ministers to mankind such as through grace, love, and protection. Others are a definite call for his readers to turn to a savior who is ever reaching out to them. Sprinkled here and there within the mix are some pieces that are more introspective, reflecting Webb's own desire to grow deeper in his faith. All of the poems, though, resonate with the author's personal passion and commitment to Jesus.
This book is not perfect, and a few of the poems suffer from some unintentional grammar and typographical errors. However, Webb's poetry seems deliberately unpretentious and straightforward, completely devoid of the devices some poets use to make their verse sound more highbrow or to make their audience have to analyze each line to determine the poem's point. Instead, the author uses everyday vocabulary, standard rhyme schemes, and uncomplicated stanza patterns in an obvious attempt to communicate clearly rather than confuse. This fits with his stated desire to "change the lives of everyone who reads it, one person at a time."
RECOMMENDED by the USR ©2014 All Rights Reserved • The US Review of Books
- Poetry to God, Volume 3 by Terry Webb - RECOMMENDED BY THE U.S. REVIEW OF BOOKS
reviewed by Mihir Shah
"My personal Savior, You set me free
From a corrupted life, all filled with sin
You changed my life, and let me live again."
Terry Webb, a former drug addict finds God's mercy and love and turns his life around, recovering all that he had lost. Every word the poet puts to paper in this series is filled with overwhelming love not only for Jesus Christ, but for humanity. While Volume 1 of this series revolved around the idea of awakening from sin, this third volume dwells in the magical power of love and prayer that provides never-ending peace and comfort.
Poetry to God, Volume 3 is a compilation of over one hundred poems that inspire a spiritual renaissance and reignite the thirst for God that is lost as one gets entangled in the repetition of their daily lives. "What's Happening?" and "How Much Longer?" are excellent examples of Webb's concern that society is drifting away and becoming forgetful of the Lord who showed his love by his sacrifice.
One way to address this shift away from the Lord is prayer. Webb provides eleven different "Let Us Pray" poems that ensure divine comfort and protection from God. Interestingly, this compilation would be a good source for children as it would pave a path to the Lord from an early age. Love of the flesh is temporary and fleeting, while poems such as "Never Ending Love," "My Love, My Lord," and "Love is Like Magic" show that the Lord's love is transcendental and knows no bounds. Like Webb’s previous volumes, this installment is a must have for Christian audiences everywhere.
RECOMMENDED by the USR ©2014 All Rights Reserved • The US Review of Books
reviewed by Mihir Shah
"Life will be a darkened maze
No rest or quiet within
When trouble blows into your life
That leads you into sin.""
In the spirit of Webb's previous compilations, Volume 4 is downright riveting, delivered by a man who not only possesses an uncanny mastery with words, but also has experiences with darkness to give credence to his poetry. The poems within are written while Webb, now an ordained minister, was in prison. Although redemption is a key component, the poetry is focused on spirituality, and how that spirituality can inspire the individual to form a relationship with the Lord and become the best person that one can be.
The themes cover an array of universal life experiences; however, the most intriguing poems, arguably, are those that give direct insight into the solitude of prison. In "No Man’s Land," Webb describes the hopelessness behind the walls, and in "Free Inside," he shows how, despite being trapped, one can be free in heart and soul. "Another Day, Another Night," directly touches on an inmates despair as he helplessly watches the days turn into months and the months turn into years.
Love, Loneliness, silence, and loss of identity are all discussed within Webb's poetry. Moreover, he is forthright, particularly in "Mirror of My Life," "Married to Cocaine," and "Good-Bye Cocaine," in explaining his relationship with drugs and money. In Webb's case, acceptance of wrongdoing is the first step back onto the path of righteousness.
In "Life Goes On," Webb depicts being locked away as a nightmare where time is frozen and all that shifts are thoughts. In much of Webb's poetry, throughout all the volumes, there is an old man and new man phenomena. Many of the poems either show the suffering of man before he has surrendered to the love of God, or the reinvigorated spirit apparent in "Free," "God is Always There," and many others.
Overall, Webb uses strong metaphors and fluid sentence structure to deliver his message crisply to readers. In many ways, this compilation applies not just to prisoners, but to life in general. Prisoners are confined into a smaller cell, while members of society are confined to a larger one. In either case, a life without God, Webb points out, is nothing more than a prison sentence. Poetry to God: Volume 4 is undoubtedly an inspiring read for all.
RECOMMENDED by the USR ©2014 All Rights Reserved • The US Review of Books
5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT POETRY!!, July 8, 2011
This review is from: Poetry to God, Volume 1: Lord, Please Hear the Cry (Paperback)
I love this book. The poems brings chills to me when I read them. I carry it with me to read whenever I get a moment of down time or during breaks at work. I keep it on my desk so that I may share a poem or two with others. There's a poem to cover every phase of life no matter what you may be going through. I think that every God-fearing person should have a copy of this book somewhere around their home.
Name: Amebong Ettima
Email: ettimaamebong@yahoo.com
Comments: I really enjoyed reading part of your thoughts in your book Terry, thank you for sharing your thoughts with us all and keep up the good work. May your light shine through out your life.
Name: Kim Phipps
Email: smile4me71999@yahoo.com
Comments: I have been reading Terry's book Poetry to God Volume 1 Lord, Please Hear The Cry and I could not put this book down. This book speaks to me. How the author, Terry turned his life around by accepting God into his heart and his life is a wonderful feeling to share with others. Keep up the good work Terry and God Bless You!
Name: Jeremy Ferguson Email: jeremyferguson11@yahoo.com Comments: Hi, I'm a friend of Bishop Noel Jones and I love to write poetry as well, I just turned 20 and he gave me one of your books and I fell in love, I just wanted to say, it was great!
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