WILDFLOWER: THE LOVE SONG FROM HEAVEN

Richardson offers a biography of her late husband, David, a Canadian police officer who enjoyed remarkable success as a songwriter.

David Richardson, who was born in the 1940s in Victoria, British Columbia, grew up driven by two very different inspirations—to compose songs, and to help others by becoming a police officer. He largely grew up without a father, who died of Hodgkin lymphoma; a police officer, Ed Anderson, served as a father figure and mentor to David, and was his partner when the young man joined the force in his 20s. In 1970, David’s life changed forever when he co-wrote a song, eventually titled “Wildflower,” which was recorded by the Canadian band Skylark in 1972 and found international popularity. David was offered a lucrative contract by legendary producer Quincy Jones, the author notes, but he turned it down, unwilling to leave his law-enforcement career, which he deeply loved—a profound commitment that his widow ably captures in these pages. The “Poet Cop of Saanich,” as he was known in Victoria, had difficulty dealing with some of his experiences (“he saw so many gruesome sights, especially when working with forensics, that he would often wake with nightmares”). His despair took a toll on his personal life, as well; two marriages ended in divorce, and he had serious difficulties with drugs and alcohol. The author, David’s third wife, movingly depicts his triumph over addiction and his turn to spirituality; she writes that he experienced religious visions and believed that God spoke directly to him. Her account of the life of her spouse, who died in 2019, is utterly compelling, especially because he lived during an era when artists typically saw law enforcement as the enemy—a perception that pained him, especially because he was an artist himself. Understandably, she writes her account from a perspective of loving adoration, but although one can consider this book a homage, it avoids the pitfalls of hagiography. Moreover, this portrait brims with samples of David’s poetic work, which is as emotionally powerful as it is inventive.

A touching and thoughtful remembrance of an unusual artist.