Book excerpt: The poems in this book reflect some of what Dr. Barclay has acquired in his journey of self-discovery of the vicissitudes of life. They poetically articulate his emotions, concerns and insights on several topical issues, situated historically, socially and intellectually. Most of the poems deal with his experience during the Liberian civil crisis. The rest deals with family, friends, love relationships and philosophical views of other aspects of life in general. He says that the poems were written basically from his heart, a heart that feels the pain, sorrow, disappointment and disgust of the death, barbarity, devastation and deprivation caused by the Liberian civil war; they were written from his mind, a mind that seeks understanding and empathy and envisions a better tomorrow; and they were written as a voice, a voice of a person simply speaking to another. While it is true that a poem rarely means the same thing to each person, he has tried to penetrate objective reality in some of the poems, conveying what he hopes are clear concepts and feelings. In others, he has deliberately left it to the reader's imagination, experience, insights and feelings, through which one may derive unique interpretations and significance. "Liberia in Thoughts and Plans and Other Poems treats complex issues through subtle expressions of feelings and imaginations that convey various aspects of reality... Like other great works of poetry, Barclay's poetic visions are subject to the interpretations of the reader." --Wokie M. Weah