Customer Reviews

Bittersweet Along the Expressway : Poems of Long Island

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I'm happy to add another title to my growing collection of works by Norbert Krapf. Whether he's describing the colors of a flower, the heat of a summer's day, the noise on the street, or the movement of his emotions as he writes about family and home, I'm always drawn into the images he creates and am further moved by his ability to speak profoundly yet with beautiful simplicity, clarity, and economy. His poems are approachable for all readers and will be enjoyed and savored for their honesty, directness, and, above all, for the life that breathes out of every page.

Norbert Krapf is one of the few contemporary poets whose poetry uses sound and imagery to weave a magic spell around mature, insightful content. His exploration of the relationships of humanity to nature, to heritage, to tradition, to ourselves is but part of his genius. His poetry does what good poetry should always do -- sing. Whether the form is a narrative, like the wonderfully evocative poem "A Union Veteran from Indiana Recalls Visiting with Walt Whitman in a Washington Hospital" or a short poem comprised of couplets, like "Gatsby Country," the form grows from the content. As a long time fan of Norbert Krapf's work, and editor of ELF: Eclectic Literary Forum, I believe every lover of poetry will find this volume of poetry well worth reading.

Like Norbert Krapf's other books of poetry, this one too is a treasure! The poems in his newest book evoke beautiful images of Long Island, but they are also so much more than that. They tell a story, not only of the place after which the book is named, but also the author's story of his experiences in that place and of his family. Krapf has the incredible ability to turn ordinary things and events of life into the most extraordinary through the use of his words. You will want to read these poems again and again, and each time, you will revel in the beauty of their simplicity. This is truly a stunning book!

I am a newcomer to Norbert's works, although I have known about him for a long time. He grew up in my home town. His poems and works always give me a sense that I can visit my roots,even though I live in New England now. His awareness of nature and how it plays a part in our lives, even if just in a glance is very moving. All of his memories of his growing up in southern Indiana bring home to me many memories that I have. He has a keen sense of where he came from and where he is going. I recommend his works to all, even if you have never read poetry before,for I never had to any degree. `