27
A Book of Poems
by jacob erin-cilberto
42 Poems ~ 62 pages
Price: $15.00
Publisher: Praying Mantis Press
ISBN: 9798255163625
To Order: Amazon.com
Reviewed by Michael Escoubas
From the get-go, I felt as if I were walking beside Jacob down the dusty leaf-strewn gravel road depicted in 27’s cover art. The season is autumn. Both reviewer and poet find themselves in a season commensurate with our age. We don’t hurry. Instead, we note the landscape, its beauty, its quietude, its inherent gift of maturation. As nature goes, so it is with life; so it is with composing poems.
Our journey begins with intriguing titles. These are like stones along the path, markers, if you will: “A Good Day to Poem,” “a Cardigan Life,” “a Harlem Night in a Forgetful Town,” “Murder at the Royal Academy,” and so many more. I found I could drop down anywhere in the collection and dine on hors d’oeuvres, entrées, or desserts. (After all, walking generates an appetite!)
This sestet whetted my appetite:
a Monday Hush
Listen to the sound of contentment
it is a still-life vision
love in a vase of subtle bloom
quietly extending its petals
towards the heart
that has a green thumb.
What I like about this poem is its appeal to the senses. Within it, Jacob beckons me to hear, to see, to sniff the perfumes of life. The poet’s exceptional powers of observation gently connect to my emotions. I’m there. We pause, letting the silence be what it is.
One of many entrée dishes is Jacob’s ode to love:
the Dance
love is more than
a box of chocolates
in a heart shape
or a dozen roses
that entertain
and then die on the stage
love is more than
promises
and dreams
loves is what survives
remains
and then one day reminds us
of what was
and what is
just with a different
flavor and bloom
but still
in a heart shape.
For dessert, I’m having an excerpt from “A Good Day to Poem”:
old friends compile
years of moments
too many to count
but so precious
as to be bundled
like phone and internet
priceless pairings
the serendipity
coincidence in meeting
and then 30 years later
greeting
as if yesterday never was.
For Jacob erin-cilberto, any day is a good day to poem. It is as if this poet understands that the universe is both simple and, at the same time, incredibly varied. Is it possible that merely observing the world is purpose enough? Some things he sees are obvious; say, the way the sun shines through a raindrop on a rose. But within that same simplicity, complex relationships are disclosed. A lifetime of joy and regret exist within that glistening raindrop. Only the best poets can get there.
Erin-cilberto is a realistic poet. He doesn’t provide easy answers to hard questions. In 27, I was given a rough ride between youth and old age. This poet faces the darkness that is the truth; this is what poets do; this is what poets should do. After careful reading of all the poems, I found this one to be a good illustration of a principled poet’s core principle:
the Love Seat needs Two
i saw a sunflower
sitting on a love seat
shunning its semantic garden
trying to be human
yearning to be learning
the longevity of love as opposed
to lust
but much like the human
whose petals no longer
matched its wishes
the semantic situation
created a reverse effect
affecting the poor sunflower
selling its soul
just to savor the serene
sentiment other flowers
only dream
of discovering …
Order your copy of 27 a book of poems, today. It is banquet of satisfying entrées; it is a journey well worth the time it takes.
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