East of Goodbye: Poems

By Richard Claude Valdez

There is a Great Loss Here
There is a great loss here,
Perhaps unaware
The eagle flies alone over the tops of mountains,
Leaving its mate behind to settle the score of unitys prize
Aloneness.
That shriek that tears the night-sky,
Calling back memorys
Gentleness.
That peat and pith within the wombs
Oneness.
In silence its wings dip behind the mountains arch,
Falling away
In feathered farewell to Goodbyes endlessness.
Richard Claude Valdez

Bidding farewell to anyone or anything is never easy. In his third volume of poems, Richard Claude Valdez shares verse that pays tribute to goodbyes through separation, disconnection, and death, all echoed through nature and the human heart.
While immersed in a lyrical struggle between youthful passion and the age of compassion, Valdez reflects on love, joy, sorrow, regret, passion, and hope amid the after-effects of an unforgiving circumstance, remembrances scarred on an ancient landscape, a miracle cradled in comfort, a misty memory of a carefree dance, and dishonor heaped upon a generous spirit.
East of Goodbye shares thoughtful poems that explore and reflect on the many aspects of separation while inspiring others to look inward and study their own journey through life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Apr 26, 2016
• ISBN: 9781491790502

Richard Claude Valdez

Richard Claude Valdez was born in Trinidad and studied at Our Lady of Fatima College, the University of Toronto, and the Royal Conservatory of Music. A classical vocalist and composer, Richard has performed throughout the world. He currently resides in Toronto. East of Goodbye is his third volume of poetry.

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Copyright © 2016 RICHARD VALDEZ.

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 author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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ISBN: 978-1-4917-9051-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-9050-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016903797

iUniverse rev. date: 04/25/2016

TABLE OF CONTENTS

This and More is but the Love so Shared and Given

In Response

Passion for Compassion?

To Stand Empty

In Remorse

Legerity’s Longing

To Time

I Hear You Calling

Poezie to the Tulips of Keukenhof

To My Brothers

To Surrender!

Saying Goodbye to Their Father

In the Windstorm

To Sleep on Many a Strange Kindness

Photograph of a Lost Time

Idle Moon

Moth

Summer’s Fall

Jerusa

Leaves

East of Goodbye

Goats and Monkeys

Rooftops

Vignette

Talmid

In Praise of Tears

To Her

There is a Great Loss Here

Saying Goodbye at the River Thames

Paschal

Calling Out

Pigeon

The Morning Broke

The Seasons

We Are No Longer Lovers

Tell me

Forgive Me for Not Visiting

You Are So Beautiful!

To Catherine

Lines Written in Brazen Defiance of Old Age

I Drank a Little Too Much Wine

Snowfall: Lines Written in Turbulent Perplexity

Why Did You not Come to Me My Love?

The Pubescent Dawn Rises

Age Wears a Gossamer Chain to Wisdom

Looking Through My Window on a Snowy Day

As I look Upon Your Face

To Francisco: The Old Man Danced

Who Is She?

Eccentricoleman

Lines Written in Despair and Despondency

Valediction

If Dreams Be the True Side of Life

Love Is Not Born!

O Heaven!

If You Love me

Immolation: Lines in Honour of the Christian Martyrs of the Near East

A Sign of the Unkindness of Becoming a Man

Lover; Send Me Kisses

Glove: In Praise of Giving a Glove at Banff, Alberta

To L.: Basso Cantante

To Charlie: On His Birth

Song To You

With Kind Eyes

O God! Your Winter Comes

The Painter: Lines in Praise of My Brother

Rest

Regret

Do Not Stare

Saint Valentine’s Day

Where Are You, Dear?

Does Love Grow Old

River Bed: A Hymn to Him

Loss: To Imogene

All Done

ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS

Age Wears a Gossamer Chain to Wisdom

All Done

A Sign of the Unkindness of Becoming a Man

As I look Upon Your Face

Calling Out

Does Love Grow Old

Do Not Stare

East of Goodbye

Eccentricoleman

Forgive Me for Not Visiting

Glove: In Praise of Giving a Glove at Banff, Alberta

Goats and Monkeys

Idle Moon

I Drank a Little Too Much Wine

If Dreams Be the True Side of Life

If You Love me

I Hear You Calling

Immolation: Lines in Honour of the Christian Martyrs of the Near East

In Praise of Tears

In Remorse

In Response

In the Windstorm

Jerusa

Leaves

Legerity’s Longing

Lines Written in Brazen Defiance of Old Age

Lines Written in Despair and Despondency

Looking Through My Window on a Snowy Day

Loss: To Imogene

Love Is Not Born!

Lover; Send Me Kisses

Moth

O God! Your Winter Comes

O Heaven!

Paschal

Passion for Compassion?

Photograph of a Lost Time

Pigeon

Poezie to the Tulips of Keukenhof

Regret

Rest

River Bed: A Hymn to Him

Rooftops

Saint Valentine’s Day

Saying Goodbye at the River Thames

Saying Goodbye to Their Father

Snowfall: Lines Written in Turbulent Perplexity

Song To You

Summer’s Fall

Talmid

Tell me

The Morning Broke

The Painter: Lines in Praise of My Brother

The Pubescent Dawn Rises

There is a Great Loss Here

The Seasons

This and More is but the Love so Shared and Given

To Catherine

To Charlie: On His Birth

To Francisco: The Old Man Danced

To Her

To L.: Basso Cantante

To My Brothers

To Sleep on Many a Strange Kindness

To Stand Empty

To Surrender!

To Time

Valediction