A War of Love (2nd Edition) by William T. Elliott is a collection of inspirational poetry that would appeal most to an audience of poetry lovers who enjoy poems on love and life. The collection is organized into sections, a few of those sections are the pretty and the rascals, the humorous and the melancholy, the change of seasons, and kitty paw. The author filled this collection with poems that are pretty, humorous, and spiritual in nature, yet which all in some way embody the theme of either love, life, or both.

A War of Love (2nd Edition) by William T. Elliott is a well-written collection of poetry with a beautiful cover image. I found myself drawn into this collection of poetry very quickly as the author’s unique writing style carried me from one poem to the next without ever losing my interest. While I enjoyed all of the sections, as an animal lover, I found the kitty paw section to be my absolute favorite. The poem titled “The Barking Dog on Evans Street” was my favorite poem in this collection, and not just because I love dogs, but also because I found the poem touched me on an emotional level and I found it rather calming to read.

I liked the fact that this was not just a collection of relaxing poems, but that there were also poems that made me laugh. The poem titled “Paper” fitted that bill perfectly as I could not help seeing the scene this poem depicted with words in my head as I read it and it made me laugh and smile while reading. Overall, this is a great collection of poetry and I liked how the author did not make all the poems melancholy, calming, or inspirational, but rather had a blend of poems that were all designed to be different.

William Elliott introduces a new edition of his poetry in A War of Love. This latest compilation more than doubles the number of original poems and pushes what was once six sections all the way out to thirteen. Elliott writes his verses primarily in free-form with variations on the number of stanzas, although most of the pieces do have an aspect of rhythm and rhyme. Elliott writes honestly about the things he's seen, heard, and experienced, whether it is the sweet song of a bird in the garden, or a Vietnam soldier being treated for serious war wounds. It is the latter that feels the most striking, reminding readers that for all the beauty this world has to offer, there is a great deal of suffering as well.

A War of Love is mostly clean enough for readers of any age. That said, some will likely require an adult on hand to help explain if a child is doing the reading. The most touching pieces of William Elliott's poetry to me were the ones in which he writes about his faith and his life and love with his late wife, Nancy. "I Dreamed of Chaos" was a stand-out to me, as Elliott writes: "For as I slept I came aware, the dream was about my life, and years I spent with the wife I loved, through suffering and strife." I think poetry is a beautiful way to aid in the process of healing and it's clear that the author has poured his heart out in this collection.

A War of Love by William Elliott is a compilation of poetry, expanding on Elliott's first publication in this second edition. The inspiration for the work and its title is the Vietnam war and the era surrounding this turbulent and defining period, punctuated with light-hearted prose all written with the same rhythmic and lyrical format. This is spread out over thirteen separate sections that range in subject matter from the helpfulness of everyday objects (The Napkin and The Paper Clip) to animals and insects (The Meadowlark and A Bug), and from the deeply emotional (Peace and The Fire) to the whimsical (Old Baldy and The Birdy Chirp). All told, Elliott delivers a rather massive collection of work with a bit of something for everyone.

I found A War of Love by William Elliott to be a fun read, which might be surprising given the weight of the era. Elliott is effective in balancing this with a great deal of levity and with poetry that has a sing-song quality to it throughout. Many are patriotic and many more are spiritual, latching on to the beacons of freedom with poems like The Eagle, and the author's personal faith in God's plan in poems such as In the Hands of God. For me, I found enjoyment in Elliott's lighter fare, where the lyrical nature of his poetry shines brightest. “Where else to get that fine insight except the poet’s pen, it is the gift of humor great to foes and yes to friends.”