Review of My Life in Pieces Poems and Paragraphs

“My Life in Pieces, Poems and Paragraphs ” by Jim Emerton  

Review by Chris Knowles  

Jim’s fascination for the English language and his constant search to present his work in a “unique”way, come together in “My Life in Words” as shares his views and experiences in a style that I can only describe as “Jim Emerton”  

I came to know Jim through our mutual interest in racing pigeons and the publication of his work on elimarpigeons.com. During that time I have learned that Jim’s love for pigeons extends across all boundaries of nature and that he never feels more alive than when exposed to its reality. In section one of his six section work, Jim has a piece called “Ice Man” and within it the line “Detached, aloof, in touch with primal elements, he walks alone in tandem with the earth, the sun, the moon and the stars”. Written in a style that I have already referred to, this is very much the Jim Emerton that I know.  

It is hard not to use the words provocative and thought provoking when describing anything that Jim becomes involved with and in reading his book, I can certainly say that he is true to form in “My Life in Words”.   Section five “Legends” is a most interesting look at an array of people from sporting legends like Muhammad Ali and George Best, to the beauty of Marilyn Munroe and the psychotic fervour of Adolph Hitler. To round off this section as only Jim could, he describes a man that he considers a legend from present day, a man with the X factor.  

It wouldn’t seem quite right for me not to touch on Jim’s description of himself as “Adventurer and pigeon man” as a final observation of a very enjoyable book. A book quite different to most that I have read and one that caused me to think whilst I read and enjoyed it’s content. The pigeon man in Jim is not over played in this work but in the final section “Days that changed my life” is a piece containing the following “On the edge of possibility, was I about to cover myself in glory, the realisation of a dream with my little feathered champion?” Yes this is the Jim Emerton known by the world of pigeon racing where he is describing a race from Barcelona, a passion that he champions and shares for all to enjoy.