A forgotten secret acknowledged in the hours before the first snow; a shared smile over a pint of warm ale; the sadness of knowing a long-ago love no longer remembers hand holding and foolish whispers, these are some of the thoughts mused upon in I am here, I am here—and I am glad you came. This anthology represents a themed portion of the poet’s larger 2007-2011 collection: Remembering the smoke. Here, nihilistic fear masquerades as cocksure wit, as the longing for a more pastoral life taunts the reader. The verse is paired perfectly with a cup of tea, or something of stronger stuff, and a few quiet moments away from modern life, which forgets that we all are a folk people. The reader seemingly is asked: What memory of warmth have you forgotten … what favorite place calls you home? Ultimately, comfort comes for the reader only when these questions stir the past; it is then that the reader joins the poet.
Jos. D. Renzi III is a poet, man of letters, idler and sportsman. Born in Quincy, Mass., educated in Newport, R.I. and an adopted son of Troy, N.Y., Renzi calls Newport, Boston, the White Mountains of New Hampshire and the Hudson River Valley home. The journeys and meetings between these places provide much of the inspiration for his varied interests.
