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Poet and graphic designer Corcetto combines the skills he has honed for years, presenting effervescent, photographic artworks in tandem with the alluring poetic form known as haiku—a style created by the Japanese and constructed of three lines with a total of seventeen syllables. Each pairing is arrayed over a two-page span of this large, meticulously produced volume. Corcetto allows the photo to convey deep feeling, which is then reflected in his words. The aggregation opens with the portrait of a goose gliding across a watery surface enhanced by the shadows of wavering trees, declaring, “An artistic goose, / abstract expressionism / rippling in its wake.” The final piece shows sunrise in the forest: “After the dark…dawn / a baby day bursts forth with / possibilities.” Most pairings depict and describe the natural world, but there is scope for humor as well as poignancy, as in a flock of seagulls gathered at the seashore, with one bird perched atop a rubber beach ball and announcing, it seems, “Gang! We’ve got a gig. / There’s this director, hitchcock, / making a movie….”
Corcetto’s imaginings cover a vast range of subject matter, allowing the reader/viewer to envision his feelings while admiring his talents. As haiku often touches on seasons and their metaphoric substance, so do his well-chosen pictures evoke meaning hidden in “melting, pristine snow” or a mailbox filled with “bills, bills and more bills” but surrounded by happy sunflowers. Living in the woods, sworn to bachelorhood, the author has gathered these personal yet universal treasures as a legacy. This book is mysteriously designated as “Act 1,” which suggests a sequel, a promise that Corcetto’s followers will certainly appreciate. Meanwhile, this first offering will doubtless be found on the tables and shelves of those who embrace beautifully shaped words, matched to enchanting, emotive, and thought-provoking scenes.
A 2022 Eric Hoffer Book Award Category Finalist
RECOMMENDED by the US Review