Life Is a Disappearing Act

by Ron Wallace

While the poetry you’ll read in Ron Wallace’s latest collection speaks of serious topics such as loss and the inescapable progression of time, you’ll also find plenty of humor in these pages.
His words bring to life his beloved Oklahoma prairies and skies, and his own family members.
Wallace’s reflections on childhood, his parents, and, of course, baseball, are heartwarming.

Genres: Poetry

64 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 26, 2024

Reviews

[luna_inthesouth · Rating 4 out of 5]

First read and first ARC of the year!

⭐4 stars⭐

This was such a beautiful collection of poems! Ron Wallace reflects on different topics in this collection, allowing readers to either relate to them or deeply enjoy them, despite their sometimes devastating nature.

The poems explore themes of life, death, and his pet. Some of them resonated with me more than others, but I believe that each one holds its own beauty, depending on the phase of life you're in.

On a final note, all the poems are so easy to read that, even though I wasn't brought up in America and some of the poems are inspired by places there, I found them fascinating and so easy to follow through.

I'll be adding some of my favorite poems from this collection when the book is published!

"I would like to thank NetGalley, Motina Books Publishing, and the author for providing me with this digital copy in exchange for my honest review."

[CullenWhisenhunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ron Wallace's newest book is the poet in his purest, most concentrated form. The older poems collected here present Wallace's classic themes and motifs--baseball, memory, aging, Oklahoma--distilled and expertly arranged, like a truly great "Greatest Hits" album. The new poems expand on these and similar themes with all the poignancy and tenderness readers have come to expect. A beautiful collection from a great poet.

[Ya Boi Be Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 rounded up so very easily for his wonderful imagery, heavy dose of Regionalism, and beautiful themes on time and dealing with all of time’s passages effects on us.
Ron Wallace has a beautifully strong way with words. He is well-versed in how to conjure a pastoral image of his home state of Oklahoma. It reminds me a bit of Regionalism which is my favorite portion of American literary history. I love how he infuses ideas of the inevitability of time and death, season and year imagery, and the progression of both our time and Earth’s time through the a rural and pastoral lens. It gives it this timelessness and slow rural-ness that blends into his messages so well.
Sprinkled throughout are a few vignette poems that feel like tributes to family and friends as well as straight up tributes to family and friends. These are touching and beautiful. They are personal and yet relatable to similar relationships the reader shares in their life. I appreciate Wallace's strong appreciation for his family and his ancestry and those who came before him in his poems.
Normally I try to point out some of my fave poems but honestly they're too many amazing poems. If I had to narrow it though most likely it would be "Approaching Seventy" as it creates this amazing rural ennui. But there are so many good ones such as "Crash," "Running," "What I Took," and "Complicit." And so many are great for just masterful use of poetics like "Ghosts" whic evokes a silent night on the porch with your good thoughts and whisky or "Firefall" for being one of the best “time keeps moving forward” sorta poems in here (a prevalent theme throughout many poems).
I love how Wallace tackles how time and life moves on without us. Its never dreary or depressing. Don't get me wrong, he talks about how sneak attack-y and much of a continuous soul struggle life can be. But he sees the beauty in it. He's not all oh life goes on it without us and that sucks. Instead he's nostalgic and loving of the past while still aware of the past's travesties and recognizing of how they bleed into today. He's appreciative of the present. And he's in loving awe of the universe and the many souls and stories that exist, existed, and will exist. He can get down trodden but he trudges on with hope and appreciation of his ability to experience at the end of the day. And there's a bit of a universality as we are all connected in this truth. "On A Bus To Broken Bow" shows this a bit pretty well along with "Firefall" and "Same Stars."
Just a wonderfully somber-ish collection that respects time itself and comes away with a love for family and having the time there is even if there are a few hiccups that you regret from your past.

[Stormi Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life Is A Disappearing Act
By: Ron Wallace

5 Stars

I am a big-time reader, but I have never been big on poetry. The first thing that grabbed me was the dog on the cover, then the title. Maybe it was because I just lost my own German Shepherd, Ghost, this past week. Or, maybe, just maybe, it came to me at a time I needed it. All I know is that when I saw this book, I just needed to read it. It was both powerful and healing. Each poem brings its own soul to the book as a whole. My favorites were "Comes November" and "On A Bus To Broken Bow." The one that really got me was "In My Father's Books." It has been just past 2 years since I lost my dad, and this one said a lot. Many others grabbed me as well.

*Tissues* I would advise tissues. Im not crying. You're crying. Okay! Okay! Everyone is crying, but in a respectful manner. This was a lovely collection of poems that really hit home on many fronts. I absolutely loved this treasure.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Siskel and Ebert said that a good movie can be made about any subject. The same is true with poetry. If the poet is good then you don't need to be a baseball fan, a cowboy, or an Okie to appreciate the work. Ron Wallace is a good poet.

This volume contains some terrific poems. "Ghosts" and "In My Father's Books" are excellent, moving poetry. "Two Men" is one of the best ekphrastic poems I've read!

Nature seems to be bonded to poetry like water is a bond of hydrogen and oxygen. Wallace is attuned to nature as he shows in numerous poems throughout this collection.

Some favorite lines from "Life is a Disappearing Act":

	dark hair flying like a battle flag
	in a cavalryman's charge.

and

	Oklahoma drifting in
	like a river mist

and

	a pack of over-ripe evangelicals
	beating Bibles into bayonets 

My favorite poem in this collection is "On a Bus to Broken Bow". A bus ticket bookmark found in a used book opens into a philosophical aside, multiple worlds of past and future, of other poets and other people and, ultimately, all of us. It's a magnificent poem.

[charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

*thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

this collection of poems was absolutely gorgeous. the imagery used to describe various settings in the western united states was evocative and made me feel as if I was there. I enjoyed the use of images to add a connection for the reader to understand wallace's own experiences. wallace used a variety of different themes that were carried throughout the collection--mainly death, stars, colors, baseball, and animals. I found that the ties between the themes made this collection cohesive and added a deeper, more personal attachment for the reader. I feel that these poems are almost a eulogy for the losses wallace has endured, but more than that, for the life that he has lived. it is a very personal collection that has inspired me to write something similar.

my favorite poems in this collection were "on a bus to broken bow" and "mother's touch". both felt incredibly personal to me and used imagery that was easy for readers to connect to.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of Ron Wallace's poetry was a good, emotional read. Reflecting on many aspects of his life, including family, pets, life and death, Wallace delivers an impactful series of easy-to-digest poems. Even as a younger person, and one who has never lived in America, these poems can touch anyone - the experiences feel both universal and specific, told in a way that anyone can relate to.

I highly enjoyed this - it's able to be read in one sitting, but will linger long after. I know I'll be thinking about these for weeks to come.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey, poetry lovers, gather 'round because Ron Wallace just dropped a bomb of brilliance with Life Is a Disappearing Act! Imagine this – you dive into the pages expecting a somber Shakespearean dirge, but instead, you get hit with a poetic rollercoaster that's part deep contemplation, part stand-up comedy. It's like if your favorite sitcom had a baby with a Nobel laureate in literature, and that baby grew up to write poems about life, loss, and the absurdity of it all.

Why should you snag a copy of this poetic gem? Well, if you've ever wanted poetry that feels like a conversation with a witty friend rather than a lecture from an old professor, this is your golden ticket. Wallace's words paint pictures of Oklahoma prairies and skies, but don't be fooled – this ain't your grandma's poetry about flowers and rainbows. It's real, it's raw, and it's ridiculously relatable. Life Is a Disappearing Act is the poetic pick-me-up you didn't know you needed – a hilarious, heartwarming, and downright delightful read that'll have you flipping pages like your life depends on it!

[readwithrishika · Rating 2 out of 5]

this is a poetry book, and a pretty average one at that. the poems are mostly about wilderness, dogs, and nature in general. there are some photos of dogs included, which makes the reading experience a lot more fun.

overall, i found poems pretty bland and uninteresting. there was nothing new or exciting about the choice of words or the themes presented. the writing wasn't bad, but it was very forgettable and i would have preferred something more exciting.

the organization of the poems made little sense to me. the words are organized in such a weird way, it makes it hard to read/understand the poem.

i think you might like this if you like nature and the outdoors, and need a quick read to get you out of a reading slump. it's definitely not for you if you're looking for something new and exciting to read.

[Rob McDermott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading Ron Wallace's work for nigh on twenty years and he's never failed to deliver. His style allows him to negotiate the vagaries and complexities of life in a way that is both profound and accessible. In this collection he visits familiar ground with the same ease, but this time there's a deep furrow of poignancy informing the conclusion he draws - time can be kind, but also unkind and we must balance this with hope and gratitude, but also hard realism. These are the poems of a writer who has lived a life. Baseball often acts as a metaphor in Wallace's poems for winning and losing. This collection is the box score of a tight game. Much like watching baseball, the collections moseys along, but there are times you can't read it without feeling a sudden tightness in the chest. Masterful.

[Wally · Rating 5 out of 5]

I dont read a lot of poetry these days. And I am generally drawn more towards epic tales. But Ron Wallace has a way of drawing you into his world in a few lines. his descriptions of Oklahoma and the life he has lived there are vivid yet elusive, like memories are. One of my favorite lines comes from IN MY FATHER'S BOOKS:
"And with each page I turn he turns back into denim and leather, muscles made swinging a nine-pound hammer flex beneath khaki sleeves and he walks away from the wreckage a cage of failing flesh that tried to pen him in his final hours"

This a great collection of poetry and I recommend it to anyone who appreciates poetry.

[C Dominick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just completed the reading of “Life is a Disappearing Act” by Ron Wallace. Every poem in his newest collection will move you. Some of the works will take you back to earlier days, some will gut you, and some will make you smile. Each poem will make you think, will make you feel, and make you wonder. Each poem will prove, without doubt, that Ron Wallace has seriously contemplated every aspect of life and people and he has an uncanny ability to express his ideas eloquently. Most of his ideas we have felt but could not express as he does. I can promise you that purchasing and reading this collection of poetry will change your life for the better.

[Abigail L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A poetic masterpiece that skillfully navigates the delicate balance between serious contemplation and light-hearted humor. Through Wallace's eloquent verses, readers embark on a journey through the vast landscapes of Oklahoma, where the prairies and skies serve as poignant metaphors for life's transience. The collection addresses profound themes of loss and the inexorable passage of time with a rare blend of sensitivity and wit. Life Is a Disappearing Act is not merely a collection of poems; it's a lyrical exploration of the human condition that will resonate with readers, evoking both laughter and tears.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life Is a Disappearing Act by Ron Wallace was a beautifully written book and is full of beautifully written poems, that just took my breath away, so you may need tissues!

Ron in his words, will bring to life his beloved Oklahoma prairies and beautiful skies, and his own family members. He wrote poems of his childhood, his parents, his beloved pet and, of course, baseball, which were so heartwarming. He also talks about Death - hence why I said you may need tissues.

A little gem of a fine. Just beautiful.

Big thank you to NetGalley, Motina Books Publishing, and the author for providing me a copy of this wonderful book of poems.

[Jo Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been reading Ron's works for 20 years and he never disappoints. This new collection is wonderful and I couldn't put it down. Read through all of them as soon as the book was in my hands. The cover of this one is so touching and the title perfection. If you haven't read him yet be sure you do, you'll be so glad you did. Then, of course, you'll be looking through his work to find which other one you want to read. Get his book "A Secret Lies in New Orleans". Ron steps away from poetry in this one and shows his absolute skills as a writer. I feel so privileged to know this man and to be able to call him friend. Great work Cowboy, keep them coming.

[Catherine Pratt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book of poetry is so beautiful!! It really makes you think about life in general. I.actually think this.is poetry about the authors life. If you read the book, you can actually take the advice of the author to heart even if its just for him. Loved the beauty of the.words he used. His soul is beautiful and its a must read..

I received a free copy of the book and is voluntarily writing a review

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing poetry from an Oklahoma native.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life Is a Disappearing Act by Ron Wallace is excellent! The book has great imagery. I would recommend reading this book!

[Cris Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life is a disappearing act
Award-winning poet Ron Wallace is a storyteller. He weaves specific scenes with visceral imagery to create poetry that draws the reader into each poem in his newest work .

He always moves me to participate in the poem. “On a Bus to Broken Bow,” one of my favorites, is where I find myself “in a bookstore on Decatur Street/down in New Orleans.” I feel the “aging paperback” in my hand. I am no longer the reader of the poem. I am the one musing about the forgotten owner of this book and a bus ticket.

“All I Know” is a metaphorical masterpiece coupled with personification. “Life can walk on moonlight/to seek a woman’s lips/and whispers honeyed words”.

You’ll want to own a copy of this volume of poems, so you can write in the margins and talk with Ron about love and loss. It’s truly a down-to-earth revelation of universal truths. Enjoy!

[Cody Baggerly · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a poet (even a young one), I constantly focus so much on time. Whether it's age, memories, nostalgia or just the very concept of the progression of life, I spend so much time thinking about who I am, who I was, and who I will be at the end of the road.

Not only does Wallace perfectly encapsulate so many of the topics that my own mind can't escape, but he does it with a beautiful description of life, seasons, and environment that only a true Oklahoma native can.

This is my second Ron Wallace book and it was no disappointment.