The Dummy's Dilemma and Other Poems

John Mole is an accomplished poet whether writing for children and adults often giving a new twist to old forms. There are a variety of themes here, from atmospheric poems with relatively sophisticated vocabularies to simple word plays and human-interest stories. A variety of moods, too. From the jokey: 'I'm the oldest known gnome,/No gnome is oldest known gnome/Though an unknown gnome there may be' to the poem on the facing page 'Gliders,' a brilliant evocation of stillness and wonder. 'Almost they repose/Above their own shadows/Almost they keep/Watch over their own sleep'-a stanza that ought to bring shivers down anyone's spine. Despite titles like 'Hamlet's Counting Rhyme' and 'Doctor Samuel Johnson Consults His Dictionary Upon Being Stung By A Critic,' the collection largely stays within children's perceptions and predilections, without ever offering them less than the best. It goes to show, too, the amazing things you can do with the simplest ideas; read 'Time to Get Up', a clever variation on 'This is the house that Jack built'.