Poet Harry Gilleland

Mr. Gilleland has a way of going back in time, and pulling his experiences forward, making them relevant for today. Let's look at some beautiful excerpts in Poetic Musings of an Old Fat Man

Excerpt from: THE PLEASURES OF OLD-FASHIONED LETTERS

Letters from loved ones were treasured...
lovingly handwritten, bestowed
with lipstick-kiss seal...true pleasures
worth keeping, bundled,ribbon-bowed.

Excerpt from: WHAT PEOPLE VALUE

I greatly value my reputation for telling the truth.
An old boss thought this made me quite a fool.
Dependability and honesty I learned as a youth.
Deceiving or lying was for him an everyday tool.




REVIEWS:

“Thoughtful, funny, & full of wisdom …I thoroughly enjoyed "Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man" from start to end. I was a little surprised at my reaction to this book, because while I enjoy poems, I am usually not as enthusiastic about books of poetry as I was about this compilation. The third collection by this author is definitely one not to miss reading. Harry Gilleland is a very talented writer, … The collection of poems includes stories about every aspect of life. Some of the poems left me with tears in my eyes, while others had me laughing about life's lighter side. … I applaud Gilleland on creating such a well written, thought provoking book. It is one that I will definitely read again. I highly recommend "Poetic Musing of an Old, Fat Man" to anyone who is looking for an enjoyable book to read this summer or for someone who is looking for a gift to buy for that person who has everything.” By Cherie Fisher for Reader Views

“One of the true purposes of poetry for a reader is not just to discover what the poet was intending to convey, but to find how you relate to the poem. Gilleland does a superb job of presenting an array of poems that are easy to understand and will certainly capture the attention, and the heart, of every reader. …. Verse after verse, this poet is to be commended for his true talent with words.” By Shannon L. Yarbrough

“Harry Gilleland often uses his storoems and poems to reveal life in its glory and its despair. This collection is not different. … ‘Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man’ offers something for every one in over 150 pages, which contain rhyming poems and storoems, two limericks, acrostic poems, and free verse poems.” By Vivian Zabel

“All in all, I highly recommend this book. Not only will the poems entertain you, but they will also stimulate your mind, as you begin to ponder some of the lessons they put forth. … Very insightful!” By Kristina N. Fountain

“This book illustrates my point that seniors should consider expressing their lives and their thoughts in poetic form. This book provides an interesting tour through the author's mind. … Gilleland's observations about life … ring true.” By Marlys M. Styne

“These are poems that often feel like having a light bulb switched on in your brain and after reading the poem you unconsciously cry out ‘eureka!’…
Probably one of the most outstanding qualities of Gilleland's poetry is his ability in proving that any topic or theme, if handled skillfully, can be transferred into persuasive poetry. This is effectuated with his balancing of his personal convictions and fervour with imaginative meticulousness that speaks to us at another level and touches us in a similar way as music. Moreover, Gilleland employs very little ornamentation in his poetry, which is one of the prime reasons why they contain meaningful content that leave a lasting impression. … Most of poems have a conversational rhythm containing a great deal of bluntness and a clear expression of emotions that brilliantly portray the work of a mature self-confident gentleman who knows what life is all about.” By
Norm Goldman, Publisher & Editor Bookpleasures

“I must admit that poetry is not my favorite medium. Too often the author rambles on, not conveying his/her point. However, ‘Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat, Man’ is an awesome book. Harry E. Gilleland, Jr. has a talent for poetry. He conveys his message with a unique style that is easy to understand and that brings emotion to his readers. I was hooked from the first poem, … I will long cherish ‘Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat, Man’ and highly recommend it to others.” By Debra Gaynor for ReviewYourBook.com


Expresses emotions..., May 25, 2008 By Debra Gaynor "Debra Gaynor" (Hawesville, KY USA) -
Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for ReviewYourBook.com 5/08: I must admit that poetry is not my favorite medium. Too often the author rambles on, not conveying his/her point. However, Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat, Man is an awesome book. Harry E. Gilleland, Jr. has a talent for poetry. He conveys his message with a unique style that is easy to understand and that brings emotion to his readers. I was hooked from the first poem, "Let Her be A Weed." He beautifully expresses the desire of my heart for my daughter and granddaughters. I hope they will always be weeds--beautiful, strong-willed, and firmly rooted, able the withstand the harsh winters. I will long cherish Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat, Man and highly recommend it to others.

Purchase Information for :

Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man

From Publisher: http://www.lulu.com/content/2057931

From Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Poetic-Musings-Old-Fat-Man/dp/1435712420/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210286150&sr=1-4
From Barnes & Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=poetic+musings+of+an+old%2C+fat+man


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POEM NOMINATED-PLEASE VOTE!

My poem, "An Empty Stage" has been nominated by the Predators and Editors Poll. Please take a minute to read it, then follow the link if you want to vote for me.

Come back tomorrow for more on author Harry Gilleland and his book, "Poetic Musings of an Old Fat Man."

AN EMPTY STAGE


Coiled torso frozen on an empty stage,

a living sculpture trapped and placed

with no gown of tulle to hide her age

but with weeping knees below her waist.



Framed in light her insides groan

with pent up passion poised for release,

she now waits long and alone

for rhythm to carry her into peace.



But I remember her unencumbered

prance, so light for one who was held down

by unfulfilled dreams remembered,

floating above her tattered gown.



Kathy Stemke 2008



Thanks, God bless! Click here to vote: http://www.critters.org/predpoll/poem.shtml


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Virtual Book Tour:Harry Gilleland

I'm pleased to host poet Harry Gilleland Jr. this week. I've had the pleasure of reading his latest book of poems entitled, "Poetic Musings of an Old Fat Man." His book speaks of simple subjects like getting older, loving, and living in this complex world with a charm and grace developed through his years of experience.

Harry E. Gilleland, Jr. is a 64-year-old southerner. Born and raised in Macon, Georgia, he earned a B.S. and a M.S. in Microbiology from the University of Georgia in Athens. Following three years of service in the U.S. Army as a captain, including a tour of duty in Vietnam, he returned to earn a Ph.D. in Microbiology from UGA in 1973. In July of 1975 he joined the faculty of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, Louisiana. After twenty-nine years of teaching microbiology to medical and graduate students and performing vaccine research, Harry retired in July of 2004. Today Harry lives in Shreveport with his wonderful wife Linda and their Corgi, Rusty. Harry enjoys being able to engage in his passion for writing full-time.

Harry has previously published three books of his personal poetry: Poetry For The Common Man: Storoems and Poems (2003, ISBN 1411600649), Gilleland Poetry: Storoems and Poems (2005, ISBN 1411629272), and Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man (2008, ISBN 978-1-4357-1242-3). In addition, Harry has published two books of prose, a tale of fantasy entitled Bob the Dragon Slayer (2005, ISBN 1411633156) and a contemporary romance story entitled White Lightning Road (2006, ISBN 978-1-4116-8693-9).

Harry Gilleland’s poetry has been included in four multi-author print anthologies of poems and short stories, in several poetry e-zines, and on numerous Internet poetry forums, in addition to his own three published collections. His storoems (story-poems) and poems are readily accessible to all readers, including those who do not regularly read poetry. Harry views the world with a poet’s eye.

To see Harry's books: http://www.lulu.com/harry
To see Harry's book covers and samples of his poetry:
http://www.gillelands.com/poetry/

Here are some wonderful excerpts from his latest book.

THE SPIRIT OF AMERICA

America is many things,
a land filled with contradictions,
a wonderous place where dreams sprout wings....
blocked by poverty's affliction.

.....

Love for equality, freedom
fills each true American heart.
Our founding fathers' great wisdom
made us forever stand apart.

VIPER IN THEIR HOUSE
When speaking about adultery he writes:

There is a viper in their house.
It's managed to stay out of view
after being let loose by the spouse.

.....

Be it husband or wife who is to blame,
these mates never forget the viper's bite.
One must live with anger, the other shame.

Check back in two days for more of this interesting author and his poems.

Special news from Kathy Stemke:

I recently joined the staff of The National Writing for Children Center. I will be writing a monthly article which will feature some great children's books with activities and games that can be used at home or in the classroom. Please take a look. Happy New Year! http://writingforch ildrencenter. com/


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