Poetic Treasures from the Soul, Volume 2

By Gerald D D Facciani

“In the style of the great bards, Gerald Facciani’s thought-provoking poems evoke smiles, melancholy, and most certainly introspection. With emotions at times thinly veiled and creativity at times fully revealed, this is love, loss, and life at its best.” - Suzanne Giesemann, Author of Messages of Hope and Wolf's Message. "Gerald Facciani's book Poetic Treasures from the Soul (vol.2) is a delightful compendium of his best lyric verse. A felicitous combination of tradition and innovation, of classical form and everyday concerns, his poems are always easy to approach -- yet always ask for deeper reflection. Like good music, they linger in the mind and in the heart.." - Stefania de Kenessey, Professor of Music at The New School, New York City. "Mr. Facciani writes from the heart, and what a pleasure to read contemporary sonnets about adult love! This collection will be enjoyed by anyone with an open spirit and ready to raise a glass to love." - Stanley Wilson, Writer/Producer

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 26, 2016
• ISBN: 9781682893814

Book preview

Introduction

The majority of poems in this book were written between 1998-2001; a few others were written between 1980-1982. The poems are divided into three sections, namely, Love Poems, Musings and Reflections. All but a few are lyric poems, with the sonnet playing a main role, particularly in the section of Love Poems.

Love Poems attempts to chronicle the journey universally encountered by lovers everywhere. Such journey is marked by mental, emotional, physical and spiritual feelings and realities which are transformative in nature. Roads encountered are not always paved, but then, love’s potholes can serve to enhance our appreciation of a solid, stable relationship. Virtually all the poems were written to Karen, including those dealing with some of the ‘speedbumps’ we have encountered along the way.

Musings is a panoply of singular events to which we can all relate. Unvarnished opinions, guests who overstay their welcome, bad drivers, lustful thoughts – who has not experienced these?

Reflections ruminates on our personal behavior and belief systems; the poems deal with the core of who we are – good, bad and ugly. It has been said that ‘life is but a journey,’ and such travel necessarily involves travails. At the end of the road, all we can hope is to ‘go gently into that good night,’ assured that we were true unto ourselves and others during our short stay on this small planet.

The spirit of love and beauty emanates from each of us in a variety of ways. The way in which each of us loves is the most powerful and resonant quality reflective of one’s inner self. For, without love, there is void – there is no beginning and no end. Thus, by definition, love makes memory possible.

To love and to remember – these are the two essential ingredients by which we create our own particular humanity.

LOVE POEMS

I Loved You Fully Yesterday

I loved you fully yesterday

In many different kinds of ways,

Your grace, your beauty, and your poise

Stood out amid the visual noise

Of malls and cars and eateries—

You handled all of these with ease.

Your gentle touch and winsome smile

Reduced a trip of several miles

Into a time-free interlude

‘To which no stranger could intrude.

And then as night took place of day

We stopped, and made a little stay

To talk of life and love and play—

All which we found in each that day.

Just as a magnifying glass

Takes rays of sunshine, and contracts

Them to a more expansive light,

So also did we love last night.

And as the dark blends into day

And morning softness leads the way

I bend toward you and simply say,

I loved you fully yesterday.

Love’s Ease

I lean to hear the words you mouth so dear.

The mellow way you move your lips to speak

To me in low-hushed tones feels to my