Intimate Reflections - by Marie G Fochios (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Intimate Reflections is an enticing glimpse into the long life of Marie Fochios, now 98. These poems capture her passion for her Greek heritage, her zest for adventure, and her capacity to perceive the beauty and wisdom in the ordinary. They reflect a highly individualized, candid voice and an assertive spirit that cannot be ignored.

Review Quotes

With a sharp eye for detail and unerring instinct for the right word, Marie Fochios crafts poems that surprise, delight, and instruct. Rooted in Greek mythology while reveling in popular culture, these concise poems continually unmask a vulnerable contemporary self. Intimate Reflections reveals a poet at the height of her powers.

-Rita D. Jacobs, Ph.D., Professor Emerita of English, Montclair State University; author of The Way In: Journal Writing for Self-Discovery and Tommy: The Musical; A Day in the Life of America

Marie Fochios begins her gorgeous collection, Intimate Reflections, with "Memoir," a searing haibun that includes this line: "The past belongs to me/alone." But one of the extraordinary things about these poems is that Fochios allows us into her past with lyric nuggets of wisdom, grace, and beauty. With her economy of language, use of Greek mythology, and her full and deeply lived life, she gives voice to her joy and rage. The stunning "Paradise Theatre, 1936" will make you gulp for air by the end. Her poems span almost a century, and with that, we have a front-row seat to Joe DiMaggio and so much more in this dazzling book.

-Sarah Stern, author of We Have Been Lucky in the Midst of Misfortune, But Today Is Different, and Another Word for Love

A book full of gems that sparkle and pierce. You feel the poet's presence and energy on every page. I kept thinking of people I want to send this book to. And I'll never think the same way about Emily Dickinson, Edward Hopper, or Joe DiMaggio!

-Charlie Varon, award-winning playwright, performer, and director