In Hyacinth Hughes’ “Sweet River Song,” the poem ‘If Only’ is the one poem that leaves every reader with that distinct feeling that we are not alone, for each person can see himself/herself in the words of regret that ‘tweak and shape the inner man..’ leaving him/her with ‘a zillion sighs and exclamations’. The entire poetry collection, divided into four parts, takes you on a remarkable journey into the evolution of a nation and the life experiences of an individual who has been very attentive to the details of her work, passions and encounters, whether these encounters were with her students in the classroom whom she saw as ‘chameleons’ for their ability to ‘..soar to mountain peaks..’ or to ‘…plummet into depths of nothingness..’ or whether it be a ‘Confrontation with a Masked Man’. The language is precise and stimulating, evoking a powerful sense of sound and colour on the psyche. In this, her first collection of poems, Hyacinth Hughes says to each reader, ‘Waltz with me down memories lane/as I sift through playground scenes of love and pain.’