The Charge of the Heavy Brigade & Other Rhyming Poems

Ever tried giving up smoking cold turkey? Have you ever been woken up by the shipping forecast and its cavalcade of coastal towns? How about finding a date to take a spare ticket to the Phantom of the Opera? No? Well, Jona Laurie has, and its situations like these that you’ll find in The Charge of the Heavy Brigade, a panorama of new poetry written about things that amuse, interest, irritate, or excite. More than that, each poem is a celebration of the simple pleasures of rhyming –calling on a lineage of poetry writing and giving it a modern spin in the process.This collection is a whirligig of themes and topics with a unifying rhyming voice, at once funny and insightful, clever and commiserating. We have an ode to the vicar and meditations on God, as well as to man’s best friend, the dog. We have ruminations on the changing seasons and our place in the world. We have laments on the sorry state of the environment and roving bands of football hooligans. You name it, there’s probably a poem on the subject, with a few surprises besides.Collecting the best of Jona Laurie’s poetry, this is a perfect volume for a chuckle and a think; The Charge of the Heavy Brigade is a book of rhyming delights for all readers.