Enigma Beyond Illusion

Book excerpt: In his third published book, Enigma Beyond Illusion , Richard D. Kydd Jr. again demonstrates his compassion and concern for his fellow man, his anger at life's injustices, his deep sense of family and community, and his spirituality. With his skillful and often musical touch he operates on many levels at once, frequently blending seemingly opposed emotions. In "The Shopper's Song," for example, he evokes both humor and identification in his description of a compulsive spender, yet the reader can hear Kydd's tone of frustration at the debt that is consuming the poor. "A Quiet Dissertation" is simultaneously hilarious and disturbing, and the chuckle that "Binary Code" evokes is an uneasy one. Kydd's range is wide, swinging from the caustic social comment of "Yo Romeo" through the philosophical introspection of "Solitary Man," and expanding into the spiritual vision of "Life Calling Forth." Although he calls life as he sees it and is sometimes grittily realistic, even cynical and full of apparent despair, it's notable that a number of his works are love poems. Although capable of painting a harsh reality, Kydd is essentially an optimistic poet, and he amply demonstrates his belief that in the end the spirit will triumph, as in "Oh Victorious." This collection of poems will give the reader a full taste of Kydd's broad human vision.