Where Rivers Run Deep

The narrative poems in Where Rivers Run Deep, by Don Gutteridge, can only be described with superlatives. The poems are a gorgeous offering for readers who enjoy poetry, with themes that appeal to the human spirit and our spiritual sense. What immediately strikes the reader as they start on the first poem is the beautiful rhythm - fast and musical. The poet employs very short lines and allows a river of life to flow through them. The poems are powerful, imbued with strong imagery. Gutteridge is a gifted poet who makes the reader feel things that are abstract. He takes those intangible feelings and writes them into objects and things that readers can touch and feel. The poems deal with spiritual themes and humanity and I particularly enjoyed the poet's reflections on his own humanity and how it connects him to everyone else. In our encounters with others, what takes precedence is our humanity, the fact that the same blood runs through our veins and that our joy can be shared. Where Rivers Run Deep is a delightful collection, each poem leaving the reader satisfied.