I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This collection contains some poems that I really enjoyed, but as a whole it just didn't speak to me. I was also confused as to who was the intended audience. The collection gave definitions for words constantly, and not only did I find it distracting, but it also felt like the collection was making assumptions about the reader's intelligence. However, the book does have beautiful illustrations, and as I said I did find some poems that I really liked. ( )

I felt that I couldn't celebrate National Poetry Month without reading at least one collection of poem so it was very fortuitous that this came in the mail for me to review this month. It was meant to be! Constructed of Magic is a collection of poems that illustrate the immorality and beauty of the human spirit. It's broken into eleven sections: death, grandmothers, spirits, love, children, America, sanctity, angels and monsters, aesthetics, immorality, and hope. Throughout the collection there are also sketches and drawings dispersed (I'm assuming they're done by the author) that help visually impart the message and tone that Louis Alan Swartz is trying to impart. The poems range from light and cheerful, to thoughtful , and remorseful. They follow no particular style or set length, which makes it a quick and meaningful read. Below is a sample from one of the poems that I really enjoyed from the children section, "Pajamas with Feet":

"Unto himself
Harmoniously complete.
Standing on the bed
In his pajamas with feet."

It's a cute poem that sticks with you. I enjoyed this collection, some poems more than others. The only thing I didn't like is that the author (poet) put asterisks by "big" words and defined them at the end of each poem. If this was a poetry collection intended for kids I could understand, but as an adult I could have done without that. Overall, a nice rounded collection.

I received this book for free from the author in return for my honest, unbiased review. ( )