Bits and Pieces

By Richard N. Pernice

No one is an island. Whether we realize it or not, the people who surround us--family, friends, even complete strangers--shape who we are. They pass through our lives and make us the people we grow to be. Sometimes those same people even inspire us to follow our dreams.

Bits and Pieces is a collection of poetry that grew over decades of Richard Pernices career in the military and the truck-driving business. His words harken back to love found and eventually lost, as well as changes in life: going from being the child to the adult, son to father. He also admits to revealing his own monsters and fighting them into submission.

Life is all about experience and not being afraid of adventure. You cant understand a book without opening its cover; you cant describe a sculpture without walking all the way around it. So it is with life. Sometimes the most important moments are found along the edges of this highway, and if we arent careful, well miss them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Aug 14, 2015
• ISBN: 9781480821286

Richard N. Pernice

Richard N. Pernice is from a small town in northern New York. He spent twenty years serving in the military and almost as long working as a truck driver.

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Copyright © 2015 Richard N. Pernice.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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ISBN: 978-1-4808-2127-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4808-2128-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015948995

Archway Publishing rev. date: 09/23/2015

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Part 1

Things I like

Sunset

Though We Have Never Met

Sleepless in Seattle

Random Thoughts

On Choosing a Mate

Part 2

Lost Ant

The Coffeepot

The Four Questions

Part 3

Chocolates That Never Satisfy

Anoesis

The Lake

The Seduction

The Woodpile

Part 4

The Drowning

Alone

Yesterdays Lost

Part 5

A Little Story

The Eagle and the Hawk

You See Too Much

On Finding Home

Chapter 2

Life Lesson

Poetry

Pockets

People

On Growing Old

Why We Fear Death

On Being Human

On Being Free

Anger

Bin 6

Changes (October 9, 2001)

Dreams

Hands

Tradition

They’re Right Behind You

The Ugly Duckling

Monsters

Closet Monsters

The Closet

The Clock Maker

Rooms

Hatred

Carts and Pleasure

Why Men Need Women

Buried Treasure

Context

The Unexpected

Making Sense of Life

The Bumpy Road

Don’t Translate

Bougainvillea

Filters

Life

Idle dreams

Chapter 3

Grandfather and Uncle Bob

Buck

On Finding One’s Way

Communication

Miss Polk

The Encounter

Post Script

The House on Maple Street

Maria Canela

Woman on a Park Bench

Chapter 4

The Fisher

I Used To Be A Child

December 11, 1974

Shadows

September Mood

Midnight Notes

The Wind In The Trees

The Calliope

The Vigil

Chapter 5

Mother’s Day

Remembering Dad

The Climbing Tree

The Dragon

Toy Soldiers

November 11, 2001

Chapter 6

On A Hill In Ireland

July 4, 2013

January 13, 2013

May 19, 2012

April 22, 2014

February 23, 2013

November 8, 2013

Simulations

The Magic of Paint

Chapter 7

Didja Ever?

Logic

Spirits and Vapors

The Run

The Cat

Life Is Good

Full Moon

Old Hound Dog

If The Sea Froze Over

The Shoulder

I Will Dance With The Faeries

A Man Named Will

The Box

The Poet’s Passion

Dedication

We are none of us independent creations. We are influenced by those around us, from birth until death. Our family, our friends, and even strangers who pass through our world, make us who we are. For this reason, I am most grateful to all of them for who I am, for without their influence, you would not be reading these words today.

I will mention one friend in particular, entering late in the game, who had faith in my words. While others have said, You should publish this, she is the one who insisted. I told her, If it means that much to you, sure. You find a publisher, you make the arrangements, and I’ll publish it. I thought that was it. I certainly had no idea how to do all that. A few days later, I get her message: OK, I have a publisher. They want it now. (Paraphrased, but essentially correct.) And here I sat with a collection of unedited files scattered on the computer, scraps of paper with reasonably legible notes, and some poems and thoughts that had never actually made it to paper. It was her encouragement, legwork (digitally speaking), and constant checking that kept me going.

Ann Callahan, thank you for your push, your insistence, and all your hard work.

Foreword

It is not often that one finds a book such as this, that opens up your heart and makes you feel. Each story, poem or snippet has a way of touching your heart. This is a must-have book for all who are searching their hearts and questioning their feelings.

Excerpt from Things I Like

I like the smell of a woman’s hair, up close, the feel of it against my cheek when I hold her, and I like holding her. I like waking up in the night and hearing breathing, and it isn’t the dog. I like to watch her brush her hair in the morning, or at night, before going to bed. I like side hugs," where your hands are busy, but you lean up against each other, real close, just to say I love you without using words."

Little bits and pieces,

gathered here and there.

This is me.

Chapter 1

Part 1

Things I like

In no particular order

I like the sound of my children’s laughter, being called Daddy—or "Oh, Daddy!" when I’ve teased one of them. I like the pictures they make me, their hugs, drying their