Opus in Chromatic Words

By Edward V. Van Slambrouck

From Jim Ahearns Introduction in Opus in Chromatic Words:

If you like jazz, poetic expression, travel, and memoir, you need to look no further than Edward Van Slambroucks new book of poems cleverly titled Opus in Chromatic Words. How appropriate is his choice of title words: Opus (a creative work) and Chromatic (a word of color and music). These words are characteristic of his endeavors and his life as sung in his poetry. His poetry joins those elements with a quick sense of humor. Walk through the door of any one of his poems and you may end up tickling your funny bone and doing a little dance.

Eds love for his family, his friendships during youth and adulthood, his school memories, his children and grandchildren, his beloved wife, Diane, and his trips to Alaska, Mexico and other world venues are all lit with poetic light in this book. He and his wife stay on Floridas west coast during winter, thus the sun of the southland appears in warm words in some poems. Beyond that, Eds ever-present saxophone permeates a life celebrated in word-images, framed with music and poetry. I suggest you take a trip through Opus.

From Margo LaGattutas Introduction in Heart Music published in 2008:

With his musicians ear, Van Slambrouck brings us echoes of those diaphanous feelings that exist even in the silences between the words. Poetry is the perfect form for his thoughts because it combines sound and image in a way that is as close to song as one can get, while still using language.


OnSpring: A Family of Poems, Mr. Van Slambroucks first book was published in 2005. Peter Meinke, a noted national poet, commented the following: thanks for sending me your touching chapbook, Onspring, whose pages are heartfelt, moving, linguistically admirable and playful.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Aug 30, 2010
• ISBN: 9781450246163

Edward V. Van Slambrouck

Edward V. Van Slambrouck has published three books of Poetry during his literary-ripe retirement years. He was an engineer in the aerospace industry, which included computer programming for the moon rocket, Saturn. He also worked at Oakland University (Michigan) as a computer specialist, creating library systems, research tools and teaching courses in computer science. Later he retired from General Motors Corporation and completed his engineering career by establishing a computer training company, KETEC Inc. Mr. Van Slambrouck pursued the love-task of writing poetry throughout his adult life. He is a member of The Academy of American Poets and The Poetry Society of Michigan. Mr. Van Slambrouck lives in Orion, Michigan with his wife, Diane. He has six children and eleven grandchildren.

Book preview

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Overture

Opus in Chromatic Words

Sitting on the Patio in the Morning Sun

The Silence of Church

Modigliani

Living

Joe and Max

Love, Life and Laughter

Life Will Flow*

France, Greece, Mexico and Here

Paper, Poems, Tones

The Creek

The Last Cruise

Art Trio

Mending America

Ojai, California

White Walls and Black Nights

Field and Tree

It Computes

Trinity

Monterey Jazz Fest

Looking for Love

Unrhymed Prayer

The 1969 Moon

If You Go, I Go

Matisse

Teachers

Values Differ

During Summer 1940,

Free from Sin

Sun on Water

Music Hall Gig

Flyboy’s Reunion

Foxy Lady in a Photo Faded Tan

About Mom

T-Shirts

White Spaces

Saxophonists

Harmony in Provence

The Lily Patch

Bears and Butterflies

Monterey Music

Carpenter Kin

Four Touchdowns

Sittin’ and a-Rockin’

Tattoo

Labor Day 2008

Ornithology

Break a Leg

Candy

Our House

Dead Letter File

Concrete

On with the Show

Autumn

Brahms Fest

Three Short Poems

Books, Words and Sounds

A Grasmere Church Tombstone

De Soto Park Nature Trail in Florida

Words

CODA

About the Author

About the Editor

Acknowledgments

Four key individuals have aided me with their wisdom and guidance in the task of writing and producing Opus in Chromatic Words. I thank them for their time, friendship, and endearment. They are:

poet Margo La Gattuta, M.F.A., an excellent poet and teacher. I do not know how to praise this gifted poet enough. I am indeed lucky to find such a bright person to help me. Read About the Editor on page 85 for more about Margo,

my brother, Dr. Paul F. Van Slambrouck, Ph.D., who provided an abundance of guidance and encouragement. Paul is younger than I, and smarter, maybe,

my friend and fellow poet James Ahearn, who graciously has aided me by suggesting changes. He has given me good guidance for my poetic endeavors. Jim is the current President of the Poetry Society of Michigan,

and lastly, the dessert of my life, my wife and love, Diane, M.A., who has read much of my raw poetry and provided additional insight with an idea or a word texture.

Other poets, who have aided me in one-way or another are Peter Meinke, Shirley Steinman, Julie George, Polly Opsahl, Carolyn Walker, Mono D’Angelo, and M. L. Liebler.

Poems published elsewhere but reprinted in Opus in Chromatic Words (some with slight alterations) are:

Tattoo —Gazette van Detroit,

Break a Leg, Monterey Jazz Fest, It Computes, and

Foxy Lady in a Photo Faded Tan—Peninsula Poets.

Sun on Water—CreekFest Poetry Contest chapbook

Introduction

If you like jazz, poetic expression, travel, and memoir, you need to look no further than Edward Van Slambrouck’s new book of poems cleverly titled Opus in Chromatic Words. How appropriate is his choice of title words: Opus (a creative work) and Chromatic (a word of color and music). These words are characteristic of his endeavors and his life as sung in his poetry. His poetry joins those elements with a quick sense of humor. Walk through the door of any one of his poems and you may end up tickling your funny bone and doing a little dance.

During my long-term friendship with Ed, I’ve seen his poetry develop into the whole spectrum of forms and free verse. His lyrical words are found in rhymed poems, pantoums, villanelles and his own forms of creative design. The dictum of tight language is present in each piece. Though his subjects remain broad, he stays true to the heartfelt issues in this dance we call life: his God, his family and his music. Ed’s forays into travel during the golden years have focused his attention on nature more than in his earlier works. If you’re a birder, you likely have experienced the scenes he transforms into his sound lyrics.

I once read that poetry has but one requirement, that of praising as much as it can. Ed pays homage to his