In my poem 'Life's Vagaries' I describe observations of a tattooed female, shuffling along in the market place with her boyfriend and the sign on a nearby church inviting people to 'light candles'. My emotional response is to juxtapose the meaning of love with religion. This book of poems expresses a wide range of experiences as I create responses to major themes in life such as birth, love and death. Covering over seventy years, the poems show how an early religious upbringing can leave its almost 'Freudian' imprint. This can be seen in 'Lessons of War' one of my early memories. My interest in philosophy is demonstrated in the poem 'Stages of Life in a Dressing Gown' where I reach a mid-life crisis and almost press the self destruct button...but thankfully recover to continue the journey. Hope you will join the journey with me and see life from a different perspective. | The Vagaries of Life by Joseph P Ainsley, Paperback | Indigo Chapters