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1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Talented poets, great book! Nov 26, 2008
Harold Nash and Charla Hultmann are both talented poets with lots of interesting life experiences. This gives their poetry an honest, authentic tone that will inspire the reader to think about life in new ways. I especially enjoyed reading the personal stories the authors put in the book, which gave me perspective from which to read the poetry. I also had the privilege of hearing Harold Nash read his poetry, and if you get the opportunity, I would highly recomend it! He brings the words to life in a unique and special way.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Refreshing Poetic Enlightenment Sep 08, 2008
Rhymes Of The Times is a thought-provoking collection of poems designed to spur original thought and stir deep emotion. In it, Harold Nash provides the reader with an unflinching look at the world from a soul borne of pain and skepticism. The view is all at once jaded, cynical, resounding, and optimistic, and the poet's perspective is one of seasoned wisdom.
Consider, for example, this passage from "I Pray":
"I do not pray for luxury - nor for a pay increase.
I only pray for noble things - I pray for love and peace.
I pray that this is reasonable - that God would take my breath;
and take away two vicious things - crack cocaine and meth."
And this passage from "Love":
"Love has many synonyms, like happiness and joy. It
sometimes makes an elderly man feel like a little boy.
It will enhance your social life - if you just believe. But first
you have to give some love before you can retrieve."
Such sentiments undoubtedly reflect the hearts and minds of dozens of individuals the world over, and they obviously emanate from the well of common experience deep within Nash, which facilitates his ability to express them so effectively.
More than just a collection of poignant introspection, though, Rhymes Of The Times has a sharp political undercurrent that ebbs & flows throughout the opus. Nash is particularly critical of the current American president, whom he flays in passages such as this one from "W Stands for Wrong":
"Lord knows why we let this man become The Executive Chief.
Rich men get much richer. And the poor men reap much grief.
He's stubborn as a mule. he [sic] ain't nothing nice. The only
person he listens to is Condoleezza Rice."
And this one from "Shattered Dreams":
"Here I am upon this day, oh Lord I come to you and pray.
All I see is much damnation, that plagues the most of your
creation.
Most of us are down and out. Democrats just lost a bout.
Half the country feels dejected. George Bush was re-elected."
Clearly, Nash doesn't mind expressing how he truly feels about the policies and legacy of George W. Bush, thus giving poetic voice to the silent chorus of numerous others who also hold the president in the same regard.
Rhymes Of The Times is further bolstered by the inclusion of a few pieces by guest poet Charla Hultmann, who lends a tender touch with passages such as this one from the poem "Visions":
"Visions of joy, visions of peace.
Guidance God has given me.
Life is what I choose freely.
Whether it be good or bad - it is mine."
And this one from "Light":
"I praise the Alpha, Omega for allowing
me to see
This beautiful rich light that all can
wish to be.
It brings me to my knees seeing you
change your life for me.
Thank you Jesus, praise be.
Thank you ever so much for loving me."
The lightness of Hultmann's approach adds a complementary counterbalance to Nash's straight-ahead polemics, which does much to round out Rhymes, giving it an harmonic overall tone.
Rhymes Of The Times is a short, but effective tool of poetic enlightenment. Through it, Harold Nash and Charla Hultmann compel the reader to see the world from an invaluable perspective that he/she may not have previously considered, and, with such a feat being the ultimate goal of all literature - mission accomplished.
Wendy Paulson
Apex Reviews
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Clever and well rounded Jun 02, 2008
Rhymes of the Times encapsulates a multifaceted reality. Harold Nash's poetry is witty and real; he speaks of love, hate, simplicity, disappointment, and complexity. Some of my favorite poems are "The Martian and the Wino, "Resentment (The Essence of Hatred)," and "Fasten Your Seatbelt." Although Harold's poetry is well-rounded and involves many emotions, I think the most interesting and complex are the poems that reflect the darkness of life, many of which reveal important lessons learned. I would be curious to see some of these poems evolve into short stories about Harold's life, I have a feeling they would be quite fascinating.
Great poetry!!!! Jun 01, 2008
Rhymes of the Times is one of the best poetry books that I have ever read. I particularly liked the poems " Fasten Your Seatbelt " and " I can't find it. " The author Harold Nash opens with an introduction that you will never forget. Harold Nash condemns drugs in the poems " The Martian and the Wino " " I Pray, " and " The Space Age Pimp. "
There are also some very beautiful poems about the seasons that I found to be fascinating. Harold Matthew Nash is one of the best poets of modern times. Rhymes Of The Times is a treasure, a collectors item, and a coversation piece that every home should have.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Rhymes of the Times is a very good book! Mar 24, 2008
I particularly liked the first few pages of this book where the poet acknowledges those who have helped him and tells us something about his life. Too often writing is a lonely task and poetry so personal that it excludes others until they read the final result. But both poets and audiences are intimately involved in the process. Readers are not consumers looking for a pair of shoes, but people trying to discover something about how they feel, as well as understand the emotions of the person writing the poem. This spirit of openness and participation is right here from the start in this collection.
Harold is one of nine children, raised by his mother. In the Introduction he tells us about public moments that have shaped his life (Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, Muhammad Ali's "I can float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.") as well as very private ones like attending the wedding of a girl he was still very much in love with. This not only gives us an insight into the person behind these poems, it helps us understand their inspiration and connection to things outside of the words. "The Bee in the Web" draws on the "butterfly"/"bee" of Ali's boast, yet expands on it to a message of racial harmony as opposed to one of militant aggression and separatism.
There are some great titles ("The Martian and the Wino," "W Stands for Wrong", "Fasten Your Seatbelt") and lines that make us think ("Sometimes I feel that life's a curse, has front-wheel drive and no reverse" and the very poignant "I hate in order to protect yourself--you pack a gun or mace. So why don't I say what the hell and hate the human race.") There are also some bad lines: "Her skin is cream, her body is slim. Looking at her makes the average saint sin."--perhaps, but what or who is "the average saint"? The book ends with a sweet poem by Charla Angeline Hultmann (and I really like the candor of her bio) called "Gift" and "giving" is the real spirit of this book of poetry.
I will be honest, I am not a fan of rhyme. There is a delight in adjacent sounds rubbing together--vowels held and savored, consonants clicking in a row--but "easy" rhymes ("head"/"dead"; "love"/"dove"; "moon"/"prune") tend to overshadow poetic subtleties, determine word choice and the words themselves lose their meaning, becoming clichés. But this is the music of this poet's generation, and there is no denying that poetry is more alive, more meaningful and more accessible than it has ever been at any other time during my life. PS I do love the "Osama" "mama" rhyme. In general I think it would benefit Harold Nash's development to read more of the published contemporary Black poets.
But form aside, this is an honest (courageous and unflinching) look at life today--one we need to share together for the survival of us all. That is "Rhymes of the Times" message. And it is a good one.
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