A songwriter and poet, Alma Joan Turner strives to give her readers great pleasure and hopes her collection will communicate the beauty she derives from the world. And as soon as you open A Gift of Poetry there is a sense of joy coming from the pages - and a sense of place, too. Her 'Scarborough Town' gives us a perfect picture of her hometown by the sea, and The No.8 Brickyard' takes us back to childhood, with carefree days spent trainspotting near the railway tracks.
Alma Turner's happier - if poorer - days are linked with her parents in 'Ruby and Charles', and the succeeding generations are recorded in 'Jack' and 'Scottish Isles'. There's also a very touching poem dedicated to a very special daughter called 'My Little Girl'.
Yes, Alma finds love and solace in many people and places, and her beautiful 'Stairway to Love' characterises the love poems that form a good half of this collection, culminating in the lyrical 'The Kiss that Followed the Rose'. 'I write these poems for you, ' she says, 'and I hope you like them too.'