After Midnight: Poems and Pontifications

By Joseph N. Manfredo

After Midnight: Poems and Pontifications presents a collection of poetry written over a span of sixty years. Manfredos early writings reflect the idealism, spirituality, and wonderment of youth, questioning the meaning of life and describing dreams and aspirations. The collection then traces the evolution of his style into a sophisticated and passionate maturity. During the last score of years, his poetry demonstrates an acceptance of the realities of life, sometimes expressing a sense of both resignation and whimsy.

As a life presented in poetry, After Midnight offers a journey of emotional growth, which finally and inevitably arrives at an awareness and graceful acceptance of mortality.

Gettin Old

I look in the mirror
and say a prayer
Of thanks to the Gods
that my face is still there.

My locks are much thinner
My face is less fair.
Glad Ive lived long enough
to lose my hair.

Dying young, while good-lookin,
Aint a bargain to me.
Livin long, causin trouble,
Thats where I want to be.

So Ill linger a while longer
Kinda messin with you.
When I finally depart
Youll be glad I will too!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: Aug 24, 2010
• ISBN: 9781426936227

Joseph N. Manfredo

Joseph N. Manfredo completed careers in both the automotive and aerospace industries. Since retirement he also authored ONLY THE LIVING, a memoir, AFTER MIDNIGHT, poems and pontifications, and THE TRAINED KILLERS, the story of two years of military service just after the Korean War. He lives in Southern California.

Book preview

PREFACE

These works, created over a span of sixty years, won interest from family and a few friends who encouraged me to publish.

Perhaps the reader will find at least one composition of sufficient merit to save the book from the dust bin in which case the effort will have been worthwhile.

Contents

PREFACE

The Early Years Wonderment 1951 - 1956

After Midnight

The Definition

Whence Comes The Stirring?

Message of The Bells

Inspiration

Desk Top

Indecision

Time

Hell Week Pledge

Somewhere, A Staff

1st Hour PM

Heaven Will Miss You

My Love

My Praise

She Lied

Time Stands Still

To The College Boy

Upon Becoming Twenty-Two

To Linda

Hobby

In Short

Boundaries

Life

To Her

To Education

Bella Mia

Random Thoughts

The Results of a Hot Dog & Beer at 11:00 PM

You & I

An Audience

Lonely Night

Retreat

Roommate

The Middle Years Maturation 1971 - 1978

My Mountain

So Far Away

You Have Taken

All In You

Visitation

Sunday Night

After 20 Years

True Friendship

My Kid

Fall

Half A Lifetime

Winter Yearning

Some Thoughts to June in January

A Love Affair

The Later Years Reality & Whimsy 1997 – 2010

The Miracle

Expect A Miracle

No Miracles

Spring Rain

The Dance

Awakening

Valentine

Happy Anni-ver-sary

The Board Meeting

Thunder Shower

RSVP

A Thanksgiving Wish

The Missing Child

Gettin’ Old

About The Author

The Early Years Wonderment 1951 - 1956

The young man was far away from home for the first time and feeling lonely. He sat in the dark, alone, in a small, rented room high above the city streets below. A bright moon floated in a star studded sky outside his window. By its light he could see the desk top and the clock which showed it to be a little after midnight. He thought about her and of home and, bathed in moonlight, he began to write his feelings.

The next morning he arose, noted the scrap of paper on the desk, read it again and decided to keep it. He penciled a title above it then carefully placed it in the desk drawer.

He called it, After Midnight.

After Midnight

To whom can I write, for my spirit is troubled?

With whom can I speak --- for lonely I be?

My thoughts, seeking comfort, would find that far lover

Whose mind struck with mine such a sweet euphony.

Neither rhyme nor reason exists for this theme

Conceived and brought forth by emotions regime.

Yet, peace there is none---as there’s no one to share---

Or to lend complete solace by saying,....

I care...

missing image file

One darkening evening, while day dreaming, I heard, then saw a military jet plane flying high over the tall church spires which reached toward the heavens, just outside my window, and wondered what lay beyond, and what purpose my life was meant to serve.

The Definition

Up in the unnamed blue of the sky – the roar

Of a thunderjet – sailing by.

Surely in this war birds cry

Some words of my definition lie.

See those monsters bending low,

Cringing neither from rain nor snow,

Casting shadows on roofs below?

Out beyond that useless