"e;Let Reason Roll: Race, Religion and Reflections"e; is the poetry debut of Elmer Beard, a lifelong freedom fighter and retired English professor. The work features 83 poems and eight decades of portraits that take a poignant look at life and death through the eyes of an African-American octogenarian. Beard, the Octo Griot, begins this literary journey with a prayer and ends with a eulogy in "e;When We Die."e; The southern storyteller reminisces about rural life and recollects his youth in "e;The Family Farm"e; and "e;What We Gained."e; Racial issues of the past in "e;Ole Confederate"e; and the present in "e;Black Lives Matter"e; punctuate the collection as they have the history of the country. This debut collection captures the mind and illustrates the world from a new perspective beyond black and white. "e;Let Reason Roll"e; may make you laugh and may make you cry, but it will remind you to shout, "e;Amen!"e;