Affections: Collection of Poetry (Vol.1)

Review by: Stephanie Dagg on Dec. 5, 2012 :
Warren’s collection, Affections, consists of twenty-five romantic poems that play with language and emotion. Some are triumphant, some are sad, but all celebrate love, whatever its outcome. They all also celebrate language. De Mills revels in words. It comes as no surprise to learn that he is a songwriter too as there is real musicality to his verse. The rhythms and wordplay sweep you along. Opening poem ‘You Are’ explodes with alliteration and a prediction – ‘You are a poem perfectly penned’. In my opinion this whole book of poetry is perfectly penned. Throughout there is the mastery of words and meter in many different forms. We have free verse and rhyming verse, long flowing lines as in ’14 Year Old Valentine’ and ‘Thoughts of You’ and the short punchy lines of ‘Lass of Love Lost’, and sometimes both together as in ‘Dark Love’. There are superb images in every poem, some of my favorites being the endless maze and numerous corridors that embody unrequited love in the poem of that name, and the moon that floats in the sky like a leaf in ‘The Ailing Love’. The poems are joyous like ‘Bria’, or regretful, as is ‘Au Revoir’, but even if love brings sadness sometimes, it never makes this poet bitter. He sees the best in everyone and the value of every situation and celebrates the good and bad with his exuberant, energetic poetry. Upbeat, good natured optimism colors all his verse and makes it so enjoyable and positive.
This is a fabulous collection of love poems by a versatile poet. Some make you smile, some make you think, and they’re all enjoyable. You’ll read them again and again because they’re that good.