Knowing When --by Mark Fleisher

 Publisher: Mercury HeartLink (March 7, 2023)

Language: English

Paperback: 56 pages

ISBN-13: 978-1949652260

Stars: 5

 

 

This my third book of poetry by Mark Fleisher, the first two being Incidental Moments and Intersections. One of the reasons I dearly love the poetry of this man is his unabashed willingness to include his wife. For her help and support, but mostly just because he’s in love with her.

 

This is a chapbook of about 26 poems, beginning with “The Mystery Of It All” which begins, “Like bards and troubadours / of days long past / we roam the countryside /” Right there, I knew I would like this book. And like the bards of old, Fleisher takes us through the countryside of life, death, and all that makes us human.

 

“Bittersweet Christmas” brought tears. Even now, I’m not sure exactly how it ends, and I’ve read it several times, “Her eyes could not contain / tears that welled and a few / slowly rolled down her checks /”.  The title poem, “Knowing When”is the penultimate poem of the collection, which this reviewer thinks is too short, by several poems (possibly not yet written). This poem gives us all a tutorial on when to walk off the stage. It us up to us to recognize it.

 

I eagerly await the next book. Mr. Fleisher writes narrative poetry, stories in stanzas, stories and stanzas that will melt your heart, bring a tear or two, or a laugh or three. Knowing When is delightful.