Despite being a computer instructor, Brian Wayne Maki believes that technology has its place and should not intrude in all areas of our lives. In “An Innocent Ordinary Life,” he recalls special moments from his childhood and youth, from playing basketball to building strengths and moments with his parents, none of which refer to computers or digital life.
Maki highlights a certain innocence that has been lost in the last twenty years that coincides with her own childhood loss, the loss of her father, and the intrusion of technology. But while many of Maki’s poems are nostalgic, they are never really sad. Many are very hopeful and focused on happy experiences, moments of understanding, and lessons learned.
The book alternates between stories and nonfiction poems. The stories recall lessons learned in childhood and as a basketball player or referee, while the poems, which make up the bulk of the book, focus on a wide range of topics, including growth, nature, death, pets and love.
An example of how Maki sees the world can be found in “The Two Trees of Meadow Grove” where he watches two trees grow side by side over the years. Maki also believes in the need to be the best we can be. He shows that personal desire in his basketball stories, as well as his daring to become an entrepreneur.
All poems and stories have accompanying photographs; many are from nature, but the ones I like the most are from Maki himself, including him sitting in his first office or him playing basketball as a kid; the photographs add to the sense of innocence, nostalgia and hope, and allow the reader to feel a more personal connection with the author.
Finally, I especially appreciated Maki’s insight and reminders about the current role of technology in our lives and how it has often separated rather than brought people together. In the poem that gives title to the book, “Ordinary life”, he states:
We are now dominated by separation anxiety.
Sitting alone in a room, hallway, meadow, or street
Use devices to relate feelings and emotions.
Maki’s style is easy to read, her themes are not complicated, but underneath them lies the challenge of appreciating and being more aware of the world around us and the magic it holds, as well as appreciating the people in our lives. , and to believe. in our own abilities. In today’s stressful world, spending a couple of hours pondering these things through the pages of “An Innocent Ordinary Life” can make all the difference.