Duality

Richard Betts, in his graceful and deeply moving
second collection, continues his thoughtful and philosophical approach to
poetry. This book represents an
eloquent outpouring of 56 new poems that are much more personal and
introspective than his previous writings.
It is a testament that invites readers to share his vision of
experiences we all have in common:
strength and weakness, joy and sorrow, desire and disdain, faith and
skepticism, tenderness and tenacity and life and our own mortality.
Much like his first book, Betts's poems are
constantly on the attack, and his subjects are as various as his
viewpoints. "Vision" focuses on the
heartbreak of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), "Omnipotence" and "Crumble"
investigate the question of suffering versus faith, "Correct?" looks at the
dangers of political correctness and "Disbelief" focuses on the numerous
questions one asks following the tragic death of a loved one. Betts avoids slowing his poems down with
indecipherable symbolism, opting instead for works that, with his carefully
chosen words, are fast paced and powerful.