Reflections In Poetry With Uncle Tony

This is a book which seeks to capture the broad spectrum of human experience and attempts to engage the view points of readers in a manner as to provide a platform for dialogue in a poetic context.

This book is Tony’s tribute to Mrs. Curran, his English teacher during his enrollment at Alexander Junior High School 51 in Brooklyn. She was a sweet, gentle lady, who taught English with an emphasis on examining the intricacies and meanings contained in poetry. She gave her students the gift of exploration beyond the Brooklyn setting, and they loved the chance to dream a bit in each class. The students respected and loved Mrs. Curran, Tony most especially. This book has been inspired by those two years in which poetry inspired in him a continuing desire to pursue his love of it, and its use of telling stories, evoking emotion, and creating joy, empathy, and a route to learning life’s crucial lessons. Throughout his life, Tony has wondered whether any of his fellow students may have been inspired to follow a course similar to the one he has chosen.

The journey of a writer is one of storytelling, opening one's heart and reflecting on special moments with those we love. Reflections of the Heart: Stories and Poems from Life covers an array of emotions -- love, loss, awareness, joy, compassion, and serenity. It begins with the author's self-reflection and provides a tribute to family members and friends. With heartfelt prayers and descriptions of healing places, Reflections of the Heart will tug at your soul. It will spark memories of your family, places you have traveled, and special events that have brought awareness and growth.

Through my journey in life I have met many people. Everyone has a story to tell sometimes our lives take us into so many directions that at the end of the journey, you look back and wonder where have all the years gone by. The pathway that led me to this book took me in many directions in my life. Writing Poetry has always been a passion of mines. As I take you into my “soul” you will come to realize that deep within ourselves we are all the same. From my years in Hawaii, to the love of a United States Marine Corps Vietnam Vet, I continue “Along Life’s Journey” and then I hit the lowest point in my life. My poetry continues with a mixture of inspirational thoughts and other poems. At the end of the day may you be inspired by “Reflections into My Soul” and write your own poetry of life.

Female spoken word artists have become the spokeswomen for a new generation. This demanding oral poetry of the early 21st century has defined a vanguard of lithely muscled voices; women who think and act decisively to create their distinctive and desperately earned realities. The combination of the eminent slam movement and the upsurge of bold underground feminism has created a unique pool of women who verbally challenge society on all fronts. Editor Alix Olson (internationally touring spoken word artist-activist) brought together a variety of astounding spoken word artists for Word Warriors. Included in this collection are Patricia Smith and Eileen Myles, two of our most formidable spoken-word foremothers, Tony-award winners Sarah Jones, Suheir Hammad and Staceyann Chin, recording artists Bitch and Lynn Breedlove from the dyke-punk band Tribe 8, award-winning writer Michelle Tea, and many more. These women join other amazing artists from many different backgrounds to create Word Warriors, a powerful and comprehensive collection of work from the best and brightest female spoken word artists today.