Traces of Our Time

About the Book

The poems in this book are a compilation of those written in my youth up to those penned a short while ago. I never set out to be a poet, I just couldn’t stop writing them. I have little formal training in structure but hopefully enough to give clarity to the verse. Most are written in iambic tetrameter while some a free style and others cross back and forth. Notwithstanding, all had the same beginning, an inspiration which turned into a vision and then the vision to which I gave a voice. I think the best description was given by Robert Frost,” A poem begins as a lump in the throat; a homesickness or lovesickness. It is a reaching out for expression; an effort to find fulfillment. A complete poem is one where an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words”.

About the Author

I was born in Baltimore City just prior to the end of WW11. I grew up in times of prosperity, the 1950's, I attended collage during the upheaval of the 1960's. After leaving school I married and had three children with my wife Joann. They are now grown and have provided us with seven grandchildren. Throughout my adult life I have worked in the insurance claims business, beginning as a claims adjuster and eventually as a claims director. I have taught insurance principles at the Insurance Society of Philadelphia and at several of the Atlantic City casinos. I was President of the Loss Executive Association, 1988 and co founded the National Forum of Property Loss Professionals, 1984. My job has afforded me great travel opportunities throughout the United States and Canada. I have had the good fortune of seeing all of the various cultures and societies first hand. I have gotten to know a good number of people with varied backgrounds and from different walks of life. I have also, unfortunately witnessed first hand severe destruction and loss of property and life being involved with catastrophic storms such as Hurricane Andrew and massive conflagrations from New York to Los Angelas. I have learned a great deal about people and their world. When I was ten years old I wrote my first poem. Obviously, it was very simplistic, but I was so proud of it. Since that time I have written hundreds. Several have been published in local journals and newspapers. Now after 55 years of working with my art I thought it time to put it into book form with the sincere hope others will find enjoyment in reading the poems contained in it.