Review of Waide Riddle’s Power of Summer

I received a copy of Waide Riddle’s The Power of Summer as a reward for participating in the Poetry Superhighway’s Annual poetry contest. I also received a copy of his Children’s Horror story

Wiade is a writer who was living in LA when he wrote these poems a few years ago. They are evocative to look at summer in Southern California. I am from Northern California and Summers in the Bay Area, especially in San Francisco, San Mateo, and the East Bay are cool if not cold most of the summer with the fog burning off by late afternoon when I may get to the low 80s (26 C) F but mostly hits the 70’s. F (20 C), inland a bit, it can get hot by late afternoon, sometimes reaching over 100 degrees (37 C) Southern California can get a lot hotter, particularly inland as it is after all almost a desert.

Comments on each of these poems

Groove

This poem is about the power of music in a dance hall nightclub, where it can sweep you away if you feel the groove. I like the line,

“stay away from the hates, negatives, and dirges.

Ain’t no room for that sh*t here”

Summer in Santa Monica

My favorite poem is about a neighborhood if I had to live in LA I would live in.

Like these lines

“Santa Monica Blvd is like a catwalk with the hottest bodies in L.A.

Damn! Damn! Damn!

Bodies are so Fine! Tan Skin Shines!”

The Tom Hardy Party

The Tom Hardy poem is a poem about a friend who threw the hottest parties in LA. I love these lines

You’re invited to the Tom Hardy Party!

the coolest and baddest party in L.A.

Show your sickest, baddest, sexiest, and hottest movies

…..

Attitude

that’s it

You Got It”

Kiss Me, Chris Pine

a tribute to a gay lover

best lines

thank you for the way you make me feel

You make the girls’ eyes flutter and the gay boys stutter

You make the girls go “My, oh My” and the gay guys sigh

Kiss me, Chris Pine

Dance to the Beat of the Beach Boys

A nice tribute to the enduring popularity of the ultimate Southern California band, the Beach Boys

Top Down! Driving down the 101

Never Felt So Good

How bout you

under the sun with my Ray Bans On

Got my radio on and the Beach Boys on

Not a care, winding racing through my hair

Let’s dance to the beat of the Beach Boys”

The Power of Summer

an ode to summer in LA

best lines

Imagine it! Create it! Hold on Tight to It! Cause

Summer explodes in the City of Angels

LA is a summer destination, a sensation. a summer

vacation, a summer nation

L.A. Blue

another ode to the LA Vibe, but not particularly summer, just LA in general

Best line

“That’s L.A. the A..blue-high. What a vibe.

Once it hooks out, you’re part of the blue.”

Take Me Home to Venice Beach

Another place I would live in if I lived in LA. I recall my few visits fondly, love the fake canals and the whole body-building scene on the beach and boardwalk.

Favorite lines:

“The Smell of Sage and incense are comforting on the Boardwalk

The chants of Peace and Love give the world a chance

The Chill vibe, the afternoon breeze against the crashing surf

Take me home to Venice Beach”

An Ode to a Summer’s Song

a final ode to the summer at the end of summer

best lines:

“Monday, Monday, brings a close to the summer

what a bummer”

Waide Riddle Bio notes

Waide Riddle is a poet, screenwriter who lives in LA. These poems were written during the COVID lockdown, recalling the summers of LA before and after the lockdowns.

The cities of Culver City, Santa Monica, Venice, West Hollywood, Hollywood, Studio City, Silver Lake, and Los Feliz were the inspiration.

Amazon review of the Power of Summer

Waide Riddle, screenwriter, editorial columnist, and rather lovely chippie has written a book of poems…”The Power of Summer.”

It’s a selection of nine poems, all summer-themed and blissfully, cheerfully rhythmic. Anthemic chants brimming with musicality and the fever of summer potential. Oh, how these lyrical grooves make me long for the beach. They reek of rum cocktails, suntan lotion, and the scent of tanning skin. Sticky ice cream hands, sandy toes, and wafts of beery breath and sea salt drying on red-tinged shoulders.

The poems are packed with hopefulness, something we dearly need right now. They remind us of a time when our only worry was finding somewhere to rinse off before we left the beach for the pub. Or where we left the car, or whether our friends would make it in time for high tide. In the UK, where I am from, summer was always a glittering horizon during the many many gloomy months of rain and bitter cold. I grew up near the coast and spent many days on beaches both sandy and pebbled, the salty Atlantic air is like the breath of god to me. So ready these poems of Waide’s, with his own deeply personal and love-packed memories, although quite different to my own, brought back so many similar love-packed days of old. Full of laughter, games, sunburn, and even a few tears. But truly wonderful.

They sing of the page, these melodic chants. Where’s the booming bass? The spiraling guitars? The swaying bodies. Poetry doesn’t have to be stuffy you know. Poetry can move us in so many ways, uplift, invigorate, empower. These poems, “Groove,” “Summer in Santa Monica,” “The Tom Hardy Party,” “Kiss Me Chris Pine” and many more are achingly LA. Like a Hockney swimming pool, all glamorous, sultry, and bold. If we ever get back to the beach again, with our lilts and magazines and flip-flops flapping we should chant our favorite of these collected poems like a prayer into the Pacific Ocean air, in gratitude for our lives…more, please!!!

You can find Waide’s poems and much more of his work on his Amazon page

www.amazon.com/author/waideriddle

two bonus poems

Washington Park:

Snow swirled and spun. Falling from the gray December sky. High above the Denver skyline. Winter has its calm… floating white powder… a white Heaven. The crystals gently tickle… they pass my nose… frozen on my overcoat. Washington Park. Under the gray-white. The pines with ice-coated bark, and a light blue radiant tint hits it just right. The cold holds charm, a billowing breeze, the crackling of ice-covered trees. Fresh powdered snow. The gusts dust me with the frozen glitter. The snow falls more heavily from above… He sits next to me on the park bench. With no words, he hints. His gloved hand holds mine. Time means nothing… He is my Love. He whispers the most beautiful words, ever so quietly, into my ear. I listen. I hear his Love. His head rests on my shoulder. It’s suddenly warmer than colder. The bow of his neck is smooth… I love that part of him. The short trim of his mussed hair. The hint of the scent of Cool Water lends to this moment. He is my Love. From the gray, white, and blue… blankets cover the park in brilliant white and blue hues. Washington Park. With my Love… my muse 1

The Maid of Orleans:

As I gazed at the flames of the fire my heart, with all there that day, broke – such strength could not help but inspire.

The Maid of Orleans, a warrior spoke, her voice, a clarion call to arms, her courage, a light that never broke.

She led the charge, she fought the harm, she stood for France, she stood for God, and she stood for all that was right and calm.

And when the English, with their rod, did burn her at the stake, she smiled, for she knew she had done what was good.

And so, we honor her, this child, this woman, this saint, this warrior, this Maid of Orleans, so brave and wild 1

Review Of Waide Riddle’s The Chocolate Man A Children’s Horror Story

A powerful and gripping tale of old-fashioned evil monsters that terrorized a town in New York at the turn of the 20^th century. The Monster kills children and turns them into chocolate treats he then treats other children and adults with. The townspeople eventually defeat him, locking him up in his mansion, where he vows he will come again someday.

The story was written in a series of free-verse stanzas that drive the story forward to its horrific ending.

Here is Bing AI’s review