1092 Niagara Road Camden, New Jersey
Area Code 609-365-0136
Dear
Please consider my original poetry program. I have spoken at Cornell University, Rutgers University (Camden). Temple University, Villanova University (two appearances), Uni versity of Virginia and other colleges, schools and community gro u p s.
Enclosed is a resume, and samples of my poetry.
Sincerely yours,
Nicholas A. Virgilio
NAV/NAV The maiden’s dr east
A water lily dripping on a water lily ripple s the mo on •
The farmer's daughter reaching for a water lily, The farmer’s daughter
touches the morning moon is plucking the petals
of a water lily
The p r e ao he r ’s dau ght e r
reaching for a water lily, The farmer's daughter
touches the morning moon. clutching a water lily
touches the morning moon.
A water liljr is shadowing the edge A water lily of the morning moon. SY^aying with the floating swan
The pond l i l i e s
The morning moon swaying w ith the swimming swan: drifting on the pond, the morning moon.
touches a lily The pond l i l y swaying w ith the swimming swan: The morning moon the morning moon. touching a water lily _ tit-
3y the pond l i l y The moon in the pond swaying with the swimr swan; touching a lily...the breast the morning moon of the floating swan By the p end 1i ly
swaying w ith the swimming swan: A "graet white swan the morning moon swings. 1092 Niagara Road Camden, New Jersey
Area Code 609-365-0136
Dear
Please consider my original poetry program. I have spoken at Cornell University, Rutgers University (Camden). Temple University, Villanova University (two appearances), Uni versity of Virginia and other colleges, schools and community g ro u p s.
Enclosed is a resume, and samples of my poetry.
Sincerely yours,
Nicholas A. Virgilio
nav/ nav A black caterpillar A buzzing horsefly
ia bridging the crack settling on the temple 'bell
in the lib e rty Bell*
A wddge of wild geese
By the -g-c A v/edge of wild geese
over the weedy lagoon By the pond lily swaying with the swimming swani the quivering moon. A wedge of wild geese j Ft is blending w ith the bend
of the crescent moon. A black caterpillar is creeping cut of the crack
in the liberty Bell.
The icy -wire
a row cf rnour ning doves The quarter moon is scooping cedar water
from the leaky canoe. A squealing gull wheeling over a roller,
rides the ocean breeze The crescent moon
is puntuating a line A Spanish monk of Canada geese vanishing into the mission
A-"\ /
/C Cv j-l-i- W / U v 'A... y — ■ . , /V \ L c I 1092 M iagara Hoad Camden, New J e r se y The short night closes
a haiku poet The short night
The young "bald poet
The short night closes com posing a haik u still the haiku poet the short night thinks, and composes.
The sh o rt n ig h t c lo s e s A fine haiku still the old master poetr by an unknown authors
the short night
The short night closes The short night still the old master poet reading a fine haiku thinks, and composes* v by "anonymous" fAH The short night closes The short night begins while the old master poet l u inni" r reading a fine haiku thinks, and composes* by "Anonymous"
The sh ort n ig h t b egin s
a fin e summer h aik u Pear Mr. bpiessj
1 dislilce all this technical dichotomy of haiku, and quotations from nauthority" who cannot put theory into practice, i have learned some things from the essays, in particular the one cn rhyme, hut jl feel some of your essayist> should perfect their poetry before turning to criticism. At least, one can respect the authority by the level of mastery attained* We are poets, aren't we ? lome of these poets have had a few poems published, and have suddenly turned expert - in an infant art* They should be composing, e j.p e r im m tmg, contributing excellent poems, so that vie have something decent to criticise • We teach children what a button is, by showing them a button. We have plenty of teachers, but where are the buttons V In my opinion, the'* only people living ta'fiay qualified tc compose a u th o ritativ e essays are Clement Hoyt and harold Henderson, noth are poets, bo the have attained a respectable level of mastery and knowledge. We might add Ankenbrand, who has. been experimenting with haiku for 40 years, i am not clinging to the robes of accepted authority either, xhese people have seasoned knowledge and experience, to me, this eminently qualifies them...... I have not included myself, though 46 poems have been published in the American Haiku. My work has survived countless e d ito rs, wen xorizes - and in four cf the six is s ue. s , 5 i have had t he mos t pu bl is he d. Though i have composed and experimextted more than, perhaps 99 % cf the poets in the magazine. Plus the composition of ..freejverse , sennets, blank verse, epigrams. 1 am still a green writer, and far from perfect, i do not have seasoned knowledge and experience enough 0 tc consider myself an authority* How can these essayists] presume to c r itic iz e , who have composed a few poems V The fleeing sandpipers
urn ad and chase hack the sea *.
it seems, te me "suddenly'* should
precede "turn about" in accordance with
the haiku definition Hackett espouses;
Haiku is simply what is happening in this
place, at th is moment. it is strange this has net been
noticed heretofore. Our eft-quoted poems
should be perfect# ddddfiddA'AddA Add A Add
AdddidddAA,d/ddd/)nAAA i s n ’t th is an example of words g ettin g
between the poet# reader and the truth ? "Suddenly" gets between the pursuing saniniMrs and the retreating sea. The picnic... a rattlesnake ceiling on pine needles:
the cicada's song. __ „ :;lA
The picnic grove...
a rattlesnake coiling on pine needles: the cicada’s seng* Y ■ 1/ f \
The hot dusty read... an open mailbox choking in the wind
heat waves ris in g from the pitch f c rk :
a cicada’s song. The country mail a tarred road steaming in the rain After rain...
a firefly dotting the dusk: Summer sto rm ... the smell of honeysuckle. the tarred road steaming in the rain:
a Model T kord. t ,
a dead rattler steaming
heat wave3 rising from the tarred read:
a cicada’s song.
March wind howling in the mail box
The roadside mailbox...
a letter clattering in the mailbox I'm really mad,land maybe Ifm net the only one who is
I submitted several excellent poems;
The town clock*s face
adds another shade of yellow to the afterglow*
Junks in morning mist; 12th p lace an osprey keeps a tight fist Houston, J.A.X. on a herring*
If I am beaten by a better poem, all well and good* But this way one feels cheated.
In the first poem, 1 could have placed "addsM on the first lin
and would have constructed a perfect 5-7-5. But the poem is not natural that way.
If you had won the prize with your first version, I would have
congratulated you. But now I must challenge you*
Sincerely yours,
Nicholas A. V irgilic Dear Kirby;
Thank you for the interesting letter.
let's look at the poet's reasons for writing the "caisson" poem.
Why did he focus on a trivial aspect of this grand funeral A child might see the wheels springing stones, crushing them. Or an idiot, hut would an adult he concerned ?
I want to grab a part, and hold the Whole. The stones are living heings, screaming in pulverising death. W W t f / /tW // All the pain of life is exemplified in those stones. The tiny insignificant heings we are, suffering in this world Tornadoes of spring Haloing the maid add another shade of grey tc the elephant herd Haloing the maid*., entwining a hare cherry limb; the butterfly-garland! Tornadoes of spring send several trunks tc join S ummer cumulus; the elephant herd ! mosquito columns from weeds; butterfly-slaloms ! Autumn wind and rain ...
/ in the graveyard, her wafting veil a tear on the Birds in the yard;
iust a bit of spice on the cake. .. several snowflakes. y Autumn wind and r a i n . . . in the graveyard, her wafting veil
Frankenstein’s monster th is tear-streak ed widow. 11 knocking the plate in his headj-
the winter moon. Autumn wind and rain ;
in the graveyard, her wafting veil:
tills kneeling widow.
Leaving Walden... swapping hats with a scarecrow
grabbing some berries. This white butterfly...
Is it teaching the blossom Tornadoes of spring tc fan its petals ? add another shade of grey
j c e 1092 Niagara Road Camden, New Jersey Emerson 5«0136
Dear Mr3 Harvill;
Please consider my original poetry program, and discussion of the Japanese haiku. My work is widely published in the United States, Canada and Japan, I have spoken successfully at schools, colleges, churches and community groups including Villanova University, Drew Univ-» ersity, Hofstra University, Elmira College, Rider College, Perkiomen School, Lower Merion High School and others. Enclosed is a resume, and samples of my poetry. Thank you.
S in c e r e ly ,
Nicholas A, Virgilio
NAV/NAV The f i r s t l i g h t shots
The golden maple The f i r s t snowstorm; "beside the wild apple a "black ragpicker loads
the white sagging horse, |>
The gold en maple
shedding a single leaf The first snowstorm: a black ragpicker loads
the sway-hack horse. The golden maple and the wild apple
The f i r s t snowstorm; Through the wild apple an old "black ragpicker loads and the golden maple the sway-hack horse. a telephone cable
The f i r s t snowstorm ; \ Between the maple, an old black ragpicker loads V j and the wild apple tree - the grey sway-hack horse. a telephone cable.
The gold en m aple: The gold en maple an old storyteller a single leaf
tells a fable The golden maple', a single leaf comes to rest
on the picnic table 1. litiaing
i xne flag-draped casket The flag's shadow above the grave#*.the dew surrounded by footprints, on my shoes* i ;
xne flag's shadow little brother's grave
in the early morning sunlight, covered with grass
darkens the moon*
little brother's grave / covered with young grass V The flag's shadow the dew on my s h o e s •
lengthening in the sunlight,
darkens th e moon* The f l a g ' s shadow lengthening on the moon, darkens some footprints The f l a g on the moon surrounded by footprints
little brother's grave c shortens the long night reflecting the morning sunlight th e dew on my sh oes*
The dew on j The cemetery**, th e dew on my sh oes a flag-draped casket Sir Sir .Nicholas A. virgilio
S i r jn i ch o la g -nAA^AiiAAAa
:• 1.:-. #!£&££?
Nicholas A. Virgilio
SobOoSoooOObbbo So oobSSSSSSSS Sir A golden gnat
AAAAAAM.AAAAAAAAA s : j ; : ;
f Z *7/ )
Sfe" g?JT5rf4‘Jtf rfp %$&£>?"% y
Nicholas A. Virgilio
Vi;;;. @.1 ■ /l "7/2 tf f A bag of plums In the valley, .before the bat tie •..the darkness
A gunshower a sea of fireflies. v su n flow er r a spray of golden linden leaves The distant oity
The lin d e n tr e e e The distant river,
and the factory beyond The lin d e n tr e e reflecting the sun*
i a cicada in the sycamore The short stormy nighti
the town clocks faces disagree on the hour* The d is ta n t c i t y ,
and the
After the short night♦•*
the town clock's faces The d is ta n t r iv e r , disagree on the hour* and the city beyond
reflecting the sun*
The distant river
and the factory beyoyond 1092 Niagara Road Camden, New Jersey Emerson 5-0136
Dear Revend Trapp
Please consider my original poetry program, and discussion, of the Japanese haiku* My work is widely published in the United States, Canada and Japan* X have spoken successfully at schools, colleges, churches and community groups including Villanova University, Drew Univ ersity, Hofstra University, Elmira College, Rider College, Lower Merion High School, Perkiomen School, Camden High School, Monon- gahela Junior High School, Yorkship Grammar School; Unitarian Church of Flushing, Long Island, St* Peter's Lutheran Church of New York City and others. Enclosed is a resume, and samples of my poetry. Thank you*
S in c e r e ly ,
Nicholas A, Virgilio NAV/NAV The thin crescent moon A water lily ... is clinging to the fingertip the monk's reflection* of a withered hough. the morning moon.
Down the r u sty r a i l s The m isty moon
through the field of rank weeds - sinking in seeding dandelion a white butterfly.
The d is ta n t storm
The l o s t w h ite g lo v e silhouettes the mimosa: is modeling the hand how still the pods hang of the winter wind
On the trolley wire
glistening in the hot sun. The heat and haz% a cicada sings. over a field of Issgh weeds*
a killdeer's cry.
A huge cresting wave hanging like the rip© plum above the empty dory: a swollen mosquito the crescent moon. with a hag of blood. The stadium fence:
a morning-glory vine
The d rip p in g f a u c e t, covers up the knothole. and now my snoring brother in the shallows of the lake lengthen the short night. the April moon strings a chain of )$
brood In that mimosa
A tree-toad changing color —
Lightning in the west! The creek by the market* a sunken shopping oart The empty tem ple
stops a rotting carp at twilight, a buzzing fly lights on the bell*
The stream by the market*
a sunken shopping cart The empty tem ple
stops a rotting carp* at twilight, a buzzing fly s e t t l e s on th e b e l l .
The creek by the market*
a sunken shopping cart The sta g n a n t stream* catches a dead carp* a sunken shopping cart catches a dead carp* The creek near the market The muddy creek ; a sunken shopping cart a sunken shopping cart catches a dead carp* \V catches a dead carp.
The stagnant stream* An autumn e v e n in g ..* a sunken shopping cart
leaving the old cathedral stops a dead carp* crumbling in the cold wind.
The sta g n a n t stream*
The empty temple a rusty shopping car
a touring horsefly stops a dead carp*
The empty temple M33VNVW 1VH3N33 V -LN3CJtS3tfd 33IA QMVlSnW H ’WM a buzzing horsefly explores
the mouth of the bell.
9NIHS3H33S Q N V S fl O I 3 I 1 3 Q
*Vd V IH d n a a V IIH d *1.33B±S GNV 3HN3AV 31d3 oo DNimoe vioo-vooo viHdiaaviiHd a hi I propose a program of my original poetry and prose, question and answer session plus a mini poetry workshop to start students composing their pwn poetry, I w ill read from the best-selling Haiku Anthology /////)£ /# // edited by Cor vanden heuvel (Doubleday Inc.) which contains some of my international my poems; and read published works in peridicals including free and metered poetry, And prose readings to elucidate the program content*
The reading-discussion-question and answer part of the program w ill entail 40 minutes; the minS-workshop 40 minutes. I w ill need a
room that can be darken; lecturn; overhead projector and screen; blackboard.
My fee is 125 dollars; the same amount charged for the program at the
College a few years ago. S in c e r e ly ,
Hick V irgilio Christmas morning
empty temple air raid warning filled with faded leaves
The village barber empty temple o d d f ille d with wind and leaves A distant siren
overturned begging bowl rising in the mists glow
on the horizon empty temple
f ille d with cold wind and leaves; A dis tant sir en x. old begging bowl* rising on the horizons
bt. Franc is* s bhrine; vT he empty prison; a hopping sparrow leaves J
some droppings behind. faster alone
kneeling in the confessionals consider him who knows all the answers\ sins to atone, •/ and offers cures for allit he world's cancers.
What potion or pov/er can one exert . first firefly To silence forever the half-assed expert? ; ,\ ! fading on a blade of grass; The town ho sp ital hear se passes by.
The empty hearse The city street parked in front of the church littered with broken glass;
M33VNVW 'IVM3N33 XN3QIS3Md 3DIA reflects the heat. ayvxsnw n
p t ie x -vd ‘viHdiaavisHd J.3 3 MJLS QMV 3 0 N 3 AV 31£J3 OD DNilllOO VIOD-VDOD VIHdl30¥l!Hd 3H1 Bureau of Intergovernmental Relations 22 Haddon Avenue Camden, New J e r se y 08103
Dear Ms. Payne;
Linda Repetta referred me. Would you invite the students and faculty of Central Bucks Schools to use the facilities of the
Walt Whitman International Poetry Center in Camden. Would you extend an invitation to attend our programs? Enclosed is inform ation. Would you publish our program scedule? For further information, please telephone 757-7345 (609).
S in c e r e ly ,
] Poet and Lecturer
Liaison Sub-Committee Camden B ic e n te n n ia l the bioorning mimosa the wind blew her name back in my face
blooming mimosa