Pieces of the Heart Ii

By Mike Haszto

The follow-up book to the popular original "Pieces of the Heart", exploring more emotions, and inspiring another group of readers...

Emotions. Life. The saying goes that the eyes are the windows to your soul. Given that to be true, then I submit that life's experiences are the lifeline to the heart. For every experience, there is a new piece added to the heart. With each new experience, comes an emotion. Many come with emotions. Many emotions are new, many are somewhat the same,yet independent of themselves. Each also carries varying degrees at which each emotion is felt...each experience a piece, of varying size, of the heart.

And it's the culmination of those experiences that make up our heart. Which emotions do we feel strongest? Which emotions seem to control us? Which emotions make us weak. We all experience differently, create differently, and envision differently. We all have varying degrees of emotions, through our experiences and through our creativity and visions.

This collection of experiences will take the reader into a past of memories, triggering thoughts and maybe a smile or two. This collection may take the reader into a present thought process, triggering experiences that readers may be encountering now. Finally, this collection will take the reader deep into thought about their visions of the future. This is a feel good collection of poems that will set the reader at ease, yet will delve into some deep emotions.

Enjoy!

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jan 15, 2009
• ISBN: 9781467051309

Mike Haszto

Mike Haszto will be turning sixty-two in this year of 2021. He still resides in North Ridgeville, Ohio, although this native of Islip, Long Island, New York still dreams of a house on the beach somewhere between the Outer Banks and Key West. A tent may have to do. Mike’s adventures still take him on journeys for childhood cancer through the Great Cycle Challenge. This will be Mike’s fourth year riding for the kids who should be living life and not fighting for it. You can donate at: www.greatcyclechallenge.com/Riders?MikeHaszto Each passage of time has taken him into various directions and hobbies…whether the radio industry, footgolf, golf, hockey, etc, but some things remain the same…his love of coaching hockey (31+ years), his love of writing (14 novels and 6 poetry books), his love of being a Parrothead (45+ years) and the escapism of the lifestyle and music of Jimmy Buffett, his intense obsessions with the New York Mets and Islanders, and his love of Joyce and family.

Book preview

AuthorHouse™

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Bloomington, IN 47403

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© 2009 Mike Haszto. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 1/10/2009

ISBN: 978-1-4389-2939-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4670-5130-9(e)

Printed in the United States of America

Bloomington, Indiana

Contents

FOREWORD

PIECES OF THE HEART

WEBS

A TEAR

DISILLUSION

SUNSET

STOOD UP…AGAIN

MAKE UP…HMMM?

THRILL

HUM

DYING LIES

CREATING A FANTASY

THINK SPRING

HISTORICAL SURRENDER

GROWING UP

THE ANSWER IS…  

MOMMY SAYS

INFINITE

PALM TREES

TAKE A CHANCE

NO HESITATION

SUNSHINE RECLINE

OPUS 64

WE WERE SO PERFECT TOGETHER

MELANCHOLY STEPS

MATURE LOVE

MATURE LOVE (R)

MEET ME…

SO TRUE

ROLLERCOASTER

MOVE ON

CAN I JUST LOVE YOU NOW

DEMONS AND VOODOO

SOFT SUNSHINE

YONDER FLOW

MOMENT OF WONDER

WITHERY WILLOW

SPRING

PEEK-A-BOO

ECHOES IN THE NIGHT

BUMP IN THE NIGHT

(ON THE ROAD TO) COMPLIMENTS

MY HEART

SO HIDDEN

SHY

INNER WISH

A WISH, A HOPE, A DREAM

SWEET DREAMS

VISIONS AND THINGS

LOVE ETERNAL (WILL NOT BE DENIED)

LOVE ETERNAL (WILL NOT BE DENIED)

(SECOND STORY)

STARTED A CREATION

SO SHY

SULTRY SOFT BREEZES

TULIPS (TWO LIPS)

ANGEL

HEARTBREAK PARK

CHANGE ME, CHANGE YOU

RECHARGING LIFE’S BATTERIES

OCEAN VIEW

COMING HOME

BURIED TREASURE

NATURAL

CULTURAL FISH

FIRE ISLAND

AT PEACE

WORLD’S APART

SOMETHING’S AT THE DOOR

EPIC #34 (ROMANCE OF DARTS)

POETRY

WHAT’S WRONG WITH ME

WITHDRAWN

MAKING LOVE

TALK OF THE TOWN

WITH MINT

YEARNING FOR A PASSIONATE KISS

FIRE ISLAND SUMMER

STILL HIDDEN

YOU’RE GONE

TWISTING TWIRLING

THE STILLNESS OF SILENCE

"A NIGHTMARE IS JUST A DREAM UNTIL

YOU WAKE FROM THE COMA" 

PALM PSALM

KEY WEST SUNSET

HUMAN NATURE

LOST A CHILD TONIGHT

ANYTHING GOES

ANYTHING GOES (TWIN PEAKS)

ANYTHING GOES (EARTH, WIND & FIRE)

ANYTHING GOES (THE SEA)

THREE DIMENSIONAL

EXHILARATION

DIRECTIONLESS

INFINITELY

DAYS OF FUTURE PASSED

WORRIES

SILENCE

HAPPILY HURTING AGAIN

THE BEACH

VACANT

TIME FOR ME TO CRY

OUR LOVE IS IN FULL CONTROL

SNOW’S FALLEN (AND SO HAVE I)

QUIET

CLEAVAGE

THE SOUL IS FULL OF LIES

SO MYSTERY

ACCEPTANCE

REACH OUT

IDENTITY CRISIS

CONNECT

BE NICE

BATTLE OF THE MINDS

AHEAD

STARE DOWN

SUNRISE

NUDE BEACH

SAND IN YOUR TOES

PURPOSELY HIDDEN

LIVE

SHELL

LIVE THE DREAM

CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE

STARE DOWN (ROUND TWO)

PEACE

MORNING HAS SPOKEN

HPWILDFIRE

GOODWILL TO BUILD

UNION OF TWO SOULS

READJUSTMENT AFTER VACATION

TIME TO FEEL AGAIN

IF I CLOSED MY EYES FOREVER

PIPER PROVIDES

PIPER PERFORMS

PIPER IS PAID

REACH OUT AND TOUCH ME

CAT EYES

SOFT SIDE

SKY’S THE LIMIT

SCOTT’S THEME (I KNOW YOU’RE THERE)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

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FOREWORD 

By Valarie Kage

In Pieces of the Heart II, Mike Haszto continues the roller coaster ride in life’s carnival of emotions and feelings. He has a knack for drawing the reader into further exploration of the simplistic complications of life, love, beginnings and what could have beens.

From one’s first crush, to the full on-slam your heart in the car door disasters, he once again proves himself an astute study of human emotions. He’s able to put them to paper in such a way as if one actually is experiencing them instead of reading the written word, a talent that many writers attempt, albeit poorly.

In Pieces of the Heart II, we are taken from promises made, then broken, vagabond fantasies like Key West Sunset, to the euphoria of the first blush of a new love, nurturing, growing and cultivating that love, as in Meet Me…, the trials of day to day living and the endings that come to all of us, in some form and lastly facing the mortalities, our own and the hardest of those we cherish as in Scott’s Theme and Shell.

The ease of phrase in expressing some of the simplistic complexities of the ebb and flow of emotions without mysterious symbolism leaving one with the sense of ‘hmmmm…has he been peeking into my life?’ is a talent he has perfected.

Mr. Haszto has gifted us with another wondrous ride on a patchwork carpet of life’s infinite emotions. Sit back, get comfy, and enjoy…

Valarie 9/11/08

The rollercoaster ride continues…as long as we have air in our lungs and blood pumping through our hearts, the ride will continue. Sure, the destination is inevitable. But, the journey can be simply breathtaking, with countless stops along the way.

Pieces of the Heart opened the door and allowed us a peek into our emotions. The many experiences documented in the original blanketed a spectrum that spewed rainbows and almost every color in between representing many of our very own feelings. Pieces of the Heart II picks right up where the original left off, with so many more experiences expressing that many more emotions.

Of course, there is no rhyme or reason as to the organization of poems or positioning of poems for emotional staging purposes. As I stated in the original, life is an improvisation, at any time with any experience, any emotion can surface, or plummet one to the deepest darkest regions of one’s soul and/or psyche. I believe that this statement recognizes the fun of living life that way. And, when life is lived that way, as an improvisation, the feelings that do arise seem to be that much more genuine.

A serious reader will no doubt point out any and all errors in the book, whether grammatical, spelling or otherwise. That’s not the point to this collection. Life being all encompassing, we all realize that it is also full of errors.

Errors lead to development, and development is one of the continuing successes of life. I welcome it and cherish it. We all should. One of the illustrations in this book has a misspelling. The two young men who worked hard to make this particular one didn’t realize the misspelling until it was submitted. Based on their efforts overall, I decided to keep it in this book, to emphasize such a point. Errors happen. Mistakes happen. And we improvised with such an event.

I would much rather celebrate their efforts, then look to perfect the illustration at the cost of their positive efforts.

I am indeed a planner when it comes to my daily life, but I would much rather be surprised and really touch the intimacies of emotions instead of planning out what my emotions would be. I truly believe that that is what living life to the fullest means, a philosophy that I live by every day. I may plan to do all the things I’ve ever done in my life and then some, but if it’s all planned and accomplished, there are so many feelings and experiences I might miss upon…for example, I may be content with accomplishing tasks that fulfill my philosophy, but I may not have truly tasted the excitement or felt an adrenaline rush, or distinguished between the different looks on people’s faces if I couldn’t improvise and feel on a much clearer detailed basis.

Anyway, I love the ups and downs of life. I live for the twists and turns. I yearn for the challenges and attempt to destroy all obstacles. I observe and listen. And, it’s out of that specific sequence that I can create and imagine…that I can write and express.

This book is dedicated to my parents, Mom and Dad, because they gave me the gifts to write, a unique family environment from which to tap into for subject matter, and motivating feedback both as a teenager, and now as a published author and poet. It is with great love that I say thank you to them.

Enjoy!

Mike 9/11/08

PIECES OF THE HEART 

It’s a matter of time and emotion...

a broad spectrum of intensity along the horizon,

that touches upon a soul so deep...

then quickly pierces through the soul

and into the unknown...

     what could this be?

It’s a matter of time and emotion...

a fiery scepter whipping through the aura

that neatly slices matter as well as mind...

then suddenly caresses the heart

and heals all wounds...

     what could this be?

It’s a matter of time and emotion...

a universe mysterious that includes black holes

and supernova that explode in kaleidoscope...

fading into the cool calm of palms

and inspires with rainbow desires...

     what could this be?

             puzzles               focus

             challenges          success

             obstacles            pain

             adversity             humiliation

             competition        desire  

             defeat                 victory

Pieces of the heart

     growth

     development

     peace

     love

     life

Pieces of the heart

WEBS 

what webs the evil spider weaves

to capture its prey

to exhibit its power

to wield such control...

who is to say what another does

has any bearing on such webs?

what has happened to freedom...

freedom of choice

freedom to express

freedom to exist...

without repercussions of such emotions

that belie and decay the very existence

of what life