The whole story in a collection of poems is not to be overlooked when reading Ruddy's Pond. Topics ranging from a man's identity in age (that awesome grapple between who one was and who one has become), to relationships with old friends, to marital intricacies and the raising of children, are covered with the relaxed voice of a narrator on his porch, looking out at a pond, contemplating the issue at hand. Combined, the poems that make up Pond leave readers with a brief glimpse of the modern American experience. This truly is a collection of poems for the average human being, something not to be feared but only considered, digested, and integrated into the days that pass us by.