Loose Sheets

By Alessio Zanelli

At a time when minimalism of style and language is de rigueur in modern poetry, 'Loose Sheets' will breeze through the collection of any poetry lover like a breath of fresh air. Replacing a ubiquitous... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1844260259
• ISBN13: 9781844260256
• Release Date: August 2002
• Publisher: UpFront Publishing, Ltd.
• Length: 179 Pages
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.4" x 5.0"

Customer Reviews

Poetry with classic heart and spirit...

This is Alessio Zanelli's first book of poetry, published initially by Minerva Press UK and then released as a second edition by Upfront Publishing UK. Since publication of Loose Sheets, his poetry has been featured in many journals throughout the US, UK, and Europe. Zanelli has the distinction of being an Italian poet who writes and creates in English. His work is an intriguing mix of metaphorical visions and structured lyricism. Consider, for example, this excerpt from "Before That Night Comes", where Zanelli contemplates the advent of Christmas: Impalpable, a snowdust Pauses in the air, Reminding hearts in anxiety Of the coming of a Holy Night. Imperceptible, it spreads A rare happiness, Inebriating, an aura Among the souls of amazed men. "The Scream of the Deep" is one example of how this poet views the strengths and weaknesses of man. Human interaction can be both sweet and bitter, blind and enlightened: Blind eyes Don't see the wonderments of earth, Yet admire the horrors. Delighted ears filled with a robin's chirp Are deaf To the scream of the deep. Zanelli's contemplations of love and loss are alternately tender and painful. These two excerpts from "In Your Place" illustrate my point: There must be a place Where I can plunge my face Which be neither my lean hands Nor your throbbing breast: * * * * There then -- as invisble wires Binding us in one tight knot -- Tunes will breathe between us... Alessio Zanelli records life with the heart and spirit of those classic poets from past times. He weaves with appealing effect the real into the metaphorical, and the visionary.

A book of original English verse written by an Italian poet!

I am flatly convinced that a poet should never disavow his genuine feelings about writing subject-matter, perspective and style, even if such self-honesty should result in exiguous book sales or magazine acceptances. Therefore, I well can say that 'Loose Sheets' merely collects what I loved to write instinctively in the period 1985-1999, when I still was not urged nor swerved in the least by marketing considerations or editors' needs and tastes. A real unintermediated 'opera prima', by an Italian-mother-tongue poet who loves to write originally in English.