Books by W.R. Smith

Books of Poetry By W. R. Smith
I began writing poetry at a very early age, for no reason other than the pride of accomplishment. Never did think of ever writing a book or publishing one. However, I did keep a file of the poems and added a new one now and then. Following my graduation with an engineering degree, I was very much aware that engineers were noted for their poor writing ability. I did not want to be one of those. About that time, I happened to read the following statement. A cub reporter asked an old hand how to become a good writer. The old hand told him, “Write poetry and if you can, write sonnets.” That did it for me. From then on, I felt that there was a reason for my poetry efforts. Eventually, I gathered my writings and published my first book. All of the books below are printed on wedding announcement paper and are 5-1/2” x 8-1/2” and are saddle stitched.
The Sound of Thought
	The Sound of Thought contains forty-eight rhyming poems on both humorous and serious subjects. Typical of these titles are, Soul Search, The Edge of Sleep, Ma Fille, An Awkward Moment, and The Earth Below. It is a delightful booklet and will make a very nice and unusual gift.
This 52-page booklet is available from the author/publisher at $16 Postpaid. W. R. Smith 8049 Camberley Drive Powell, TN 37849-4218 Phone: 865-947-9671 E-mail: WRSmith2@AOL.COM
Images of Thought
	Following the publication of my first book and the advice of the longtime reporter, I immediately began work on Shakespearian form sonnets. The reporter was correct. I quickly discovered how very difficult it is to manage the language in the strict from of the sonnet, but the challenge was a wonderful one that I enjoyed for several years of writing. This book, Images of Thought, contains thirty-four Shakespearian form sonnets. I also did the artwork for the cover, as well as for each sonnet. The reason sonnets are so extremely difficult to write might be of interest to some. This sonnet form consists of four quatrains and a couplet. Each quatrain consists of four lines. Line one of each must rhyme with line three and line two must rhyme with line four. Each line of the quatrain must be of iambic pentameter. That means that it must contain five feet and each foot must be composed of an unstressed word or syllable, followed by a stressed word or syllable. The story must be told in the three quatrains and is usually summarized in the two-line couplet at the end of the sonnet. This booklet is indeed one of interesting reading and contains thirty-three sonnets on a variety of subjects.
This 40-page booklet is available from the author/publisher at $16 Postpaid. W. R. Smith 8049 Camberley Drive Powell, TN 37849-4218 Phone: 865-947-9671 E-mail: WRSmith2@AOL.COM
Something About Love
	Because I wished to write a book of free verse for my wife, I wrote this book, Something About Love, as a practice in the free verse style of writing. I found it to be a very powerful form and have been told by many that it is one of my best books. It contains sixty three poems drawn from my observations of life. Like most of my books, the subject matter ranges from humorous to serious. An artist friend did the cover and the sketches for many of the poems.
This 64-page booklet is available from the author/publisher at $16 Postpaid. W. R. Smith 8049 Camberley Drive Powell, TN 37849-4218 Phone: 865-947-9671 E-mail: WRSmith2@AOL.COM
I Call You Love
	This book, I Call You Love, is a love story, a book of free verse that I wrote for my wife. The artwork of the cover is from a famous sculpture. The book is in three parts. In part one, the couple is together, enjoying life. Each page of the part is a stand-alone poem and the total part is a poem. In part two, he is considering how terrible life would be without his charming wife. Like part one, part two is also a poem and each page is a stand alone poem. Part three is a poem and each page of it is also a stand-alone poem. In this part, he is considering the fact that he has his wife and life is good—so, why worry about it. The three parts form the book, which is also a stand-alone poem. The logo for part one is a line drawing of the cover. The logo for part three shows a pair of lovers on a path to the farthest horizon. The logo for part three is the lovers with wings. These logos are from the last page of the book, “. . . and down that end-stopped path they walked as lovers walk, matching each the other’s step to the highest horizon, where gracefully naked and inseparably entwined, they took to the heavens like the beautiful butterfly that frees itself and casts its outworn shell aside.”
This 58-page booklet is available from the author/publisher at $16 Postpaid. W. R. Smith 8049 Camberley Drive Powell, TN 37849-4218 Phone: 865-947-9671 E-mail: WRSmith2@AOL.COM
Word Images
	This book, Word Images, has an unusual history. I continued to write poetry for many years after publishing the fourth book, I Call You Love, However, I became so involved in writing articles for mechanical and clockmaking magazines here and in England that I finally stopped work on poetry. Recently, I was visited by a retired English teacher and her husband. I had previously sent her copies of some of my books and she studied the others during their visit. She insisted that I write more poetry. Following her departure, I remembered the file of poems I happened never to have published and studied them. There were not enough of them for a book. However, not being tied up with any projects, I decided, at age 88, to try to write enough more poetry to complete and publish the book, Word Images. It contains forty-five poems of both free-verse and rhyming poetry on an many subjects.
This 46-page booklet is available from the author/publisher at $16 Postpaid. W. R. Smith 8049 Camberley Drive Powell, TN 37849-4218 Phone: 865-947-9671 E-mail: WRSmith2@AOL.COM
A Look At Life
	This is my last and most unusual poetry book. It not only contains free verse and rhyming poetry, on the philosophical views of life, I have also added the music sheets and a CD of the eight songs I wrote during the 60s. Like my other five books, this one would also a fine gift for a wife or a girlfriend.
The 46 page booklet is available from the author/publisher at $20 Postpaid. W. R. Smith 8049 Camberley Drive Powell, TN 37849-4218 Phone: 865-947-9671 E-mail: WRSmith2@AOL.COM