Commenting on Rob Smith's poetry, a Goodreads reviewer stated that his "poems tell stories; his novels contain poems." This observation captures the truth that both his prose and poetry emerge from a wealth of life experiences. In Eyes on Mars, he invites the reader to come with him on a visit into his childhood and the realities which accompany anyone carrying a sense of loss into an unknown future. Not all harms are visible, and the poet knows that people never "get over" the traumas of life. Instead, loss becomes a companion which can either cripple or turninto a pathway to a deeper and more compassionate life. Eyes on Mars is both poetry and memoir. Smith reveals the childhood events that set him on a personal journey. His poetry tells the rest of the story.