Transcript for Podcast: "I Feel Snitty," Episode 131: "Take a Look, It's in My Book, It's a Reading Promo - Part 1," is now available!

Podcast: I Feel Snitty

Episode 131: Take a Look, It's in My Book, It's a Reading Promo - Part 1

Premiere Date: 5/5/21

Length: 10:41 (1,801 words)

Link: https://ifeelsnitty.podbean.com/e/take-a-look-its-in-my-book-its-a-reading-promo-part-1/

Transcript: 

Welcome to I Feel Snitty, episode 131, entitled, “Take a Look, It’s in My Book, It’s a Reading Promo – Part 1.” I’m your host, Craig Rozniecki.

 

I know I haven’t been as active with my podcasting of late, but there’s a good reason for that. I’ve been writing books. I just released my 19^th book, Laugh to the Music; am currently awaiting proof copies to the paperback versions of The Art of the Steal and Trumplandia; and am in the middle of 6 other books – 3 of which are pretty much finished. Given that, I thought I’d do something I’ve never done before, and share excerpts from each and every one of my books with listeners. I’ll go about this in chronological order.

 

The first book I ever released was a poetry compilation I concocted in 2006, entitled, Seasons Come, People Grow: A Poetic Journey. Its release prompted an article being written about me in a local paper, as well as a book signing at a library.

 

Looking back, I have mixed feelings about the book, and think I can now better understand what some bands feel with regard to their earliest albums. What I mean is, on one hand, this was my first book, so of course it will forever remain special to me. I mean, without it, who knows what, if anything would have followed. However, when looking at my complete body of work, I think it’s one of my weakest efforts. That’s not to say I think it’s awful by any stretch of the imagination; just that when someone asks for my recommendation on a book I’ve written, they’re not going to hear me mention this one. I do love the cover, though. Sure, I came up with the idea, but my mother – an artist – was the one to bring my vision to life. It was one of two covers she created, so there’s something special, something personal about it to me.

 

I am my own worst critic, as I received a great deal of praise from readers for this work. I was 25 at the time of its release; had recently graduated from college; and my writing was still a bit raw. While I may look back and think to myself, “Gosh, I write so much better than that today,” a lot of people seem to prefer the raw, unpolished work. Ironically, I find myself tending to enjoy my favorite bands’ earliest work for this very reason – it’s raw and filled with emotion.

 

Having said all that, I will now share with you ten poems from this book.

 

This first one can be found on pages 13 and 14, and is entitled, “Giving Thanks.”

 

Giving Thanks

For the air that I breathe,

The earth that I walk on,

The Beauty in which I see,

Family, friends, and loved ones,

 

For my strengths,

For my weaknesses,

For my beauties,

For my uglinesses,

 

For every moment that passes by,

Every waning second,

The minutes, the hours,

The days, the years,

 

For feeling the sun's presence,

The soaking rain pouring down on me,

The beauteous and alluring snow,

Roars of thunder, flashes of lightning,

 

For my imperfections,

For my uniqueness,

For everything that surrounds me,

Breathing life in,

 

I'm thankful for,

This gift called life,

Slowly unwrapping the present,

Anxious to have a look inside,

 

I'm thankful for all that's been given to me,

All that I will receive in the future,

I can smile now and say that I'm content,

Thank you for this breath-taking experience.

 

This next poem can be found on pages 16 and 17, and is entitled, “It Comes in All Shapes and Sizes.”

 

It Comes in All Shapes and Sizes

A snow-cone on a hot summer day,

Getting that first job,

The report card reading straight A's,

Having a nice sob,

 

Passing your driver's test,

Seeing your face and name on the license,

Getting accepted to college,

Being there for others when they need you most,

 

Receiving that first paycheck,

A grin from cheek to cheek,

Jamming at a rock concert,

Las Vegas for a week,

 

A nice soak in the tub,

Competition against the best,

Watching the snow fall to the ground,

Gazing up into infiniteness,

 

Quality time with family and friends,

Reading a book during a storm,

Chasing down the ice cream man,

Less can definitely be more,

 

Happiness comes in all shapes and sizes,

Do what makes you feel good inside,

For we are all special and gifted in one way or another,

We all possess something special and beautiful inside.

 

The third poem I’ll share with you today is called “The Land of the Plagiarites,” and can be found on pages 32 and 33.

 

The Land of the Plagiarites

Been there,

Done that,

Heard of it,

Said it,

 

What is there left to be said?

What is there left to do?

Every action and word enacted,

Copied and pasted unto you,

 

Our lives are constant imitations,

Constant emulations,

Constant mockings,

Constant plagiarism,

 

Every word in this poem is plagiarized,

Every word of every single day,

What is a new experience to me,

Is old for another,

 

What's new?

How I never understood that phrase,

Absolutely nothing,

This is the land of the plagiarites.

 

The next poem can be found on pages 34 and 35, and is entitled, “Shallow.”

 

Shallow

Everything's very surface,

Very easy from here,

I can stand and not worry,

Not have to think or fear,

 

I can look and see everything,

Not have to move a muscle,

If I go out any further,

That could mean a world of trouble,

 

I slowly walk out,

More difficult with each step I take,

I'm now in over my head,

Did I make a critical mistake?

 

This is too deep for me,

What was I even thinking?

I can no longer see,

The sharks could be after me,

 

It's hurting my eyes when I open them,

Why does it have to sting?

I hate having to close my eyes,

Everything is fake and imaginary,

 

I need to walk back to the shallow end,

This is just too much for me,

Life is easier this way,

When you're not having to think.

 

This next poem is called “Alien” and is on pages 40 and 41.

 

Alien

Different from all others,

Stand out in a crowd,

Unable to blend in,

Not wanting to know how,

 

All alone in this world,

Isolated from the rest,

Trust depleted,

Undergoing multitudes of tests,

 

Strapped down tightly am I,

Closely observed,

An experimental droid,

An alien in this world,

 

Alien to this world,

Alien to this life,

Alien to my girl,

Alien to my life,

 

Alien are my surroundings,

Alien are the faces,

Constant tests and experiments,

Constant adaptations and changes.

 

Starting the second half of the poems I’ll be sharing is “Signed Off,” which can be found on pages 58 through 60.

 

Signed Off

Logged on,

Into the fantasyworld,

All whom I talk to,

I may never know,

 

Signed in,

Ready to live a life away from my own,

Wanting to forget about my life,

Wanting to start over,

 

Every word I type is ambiguous,

Every word I read has no tone,

I can make of it whatever I wish,

From a fantasy to true love,

 

Like a fictional character in a story,

I can make of you what I want,

Let visions fill my head,

Let my imagination go to work,

 

Logged off,

Back to reality,

Away from the fantasyworld,

Away from my dream,

 

Signed off,

Away from reality,

Denial of all around me,

Wanting to sign off indefinitely.

 

This next poem is titled “Long-Distance,” and is on pages 63 and 64.

 

Long-Distance

I give you a call,

Expecting nothing,

The phone rings constantly,

No one answering,

 

Only time I hear your voice is on the machine,

I contemplate leaving a message,

Pessimistic of getting a call back,

Frustrated of the inequitous effort,

 

I dial your number,

A busy signal comes up,

Discovering that you were certainly home,

Just had no need nor desire to talk,

 

No matter how many times I call,

There is no getting through,

You seem so distant and far away,

Even though I lay right beside you.

 

The next poem I’ll be sharing can be found on pages 82 and 83, and is entitled, “A Chameleon.”

 

A Chameleon

I blend in with my surroundings,

Trying not to stand out,

Paranoia sweeps over me,

As I look around,

 

My colors change,

With every friend that I see,

Not knowing what I want,

Being how others want me to be,

 

I act like a thug in front of one,

A punk in front of another,

A geek with my friends,

A saint in front of my mother,

 

Blending in with my surroundings,

I roam around,

A chameleon am I,

Never to be seen or found.

 

This next poem can be found on pages 121 and 122, and is called “Puppets.”

 

Puppets

Held by the strings,

Never in place,

Our head and arms dangling,

At their mercy,

 

Guided on the stage,

Directed where to go,

How to act,

What to wear,

 

With each repetition,

Performance becomes easier,

Practice pays dividends,

To a sense of mastery,

 

Held by the strings,

Just a puppet in life,

How it's time to break free,

To find my own path,

 

The strings have broken,

My head looking forward,

The door is wide open,

The master in control.

 

The final poem I’ll be sharing with you today is entitled “A Rat in a Cage,” and is on pages 140 and 141.

 

A Rat in a Cage

Begged and bribed,

Pellets coming my way,

Running about, doing tricks,

Just a rat in a cage,

 

Grabbed by the tail,

Laid about on the scale,

How much will I receive next time?

We shall wait and see,

 

Placed in my cage,

Trapped, with nowhere to go,

Climbing the walls,

Wanting to get out,

 

I hit the bar repeatedly,

Get fed bits and pieces at a time,

Until I get sore and tired,

And don't have any more stamina left inside,

 

I sense the eyes around me,

Watching my every move,

Should I stand here and ignore their wishes?

Or do what they want me to do?

 

The cage surrounds me,

Every second of every day,

How I want to be free at last,

And not be just another rat in a cage.

 

The book can only be purchased on paperback for the time being. While the price is $38.39 on Amazon for some reason, it’s available for $20.20 on Lulu. If you have any questions on the book, don’t hesitate to ask.

 

That’s it for today’s episode. Until next time, you can check me out on PodBean, Twitter, Amazon, and Blogger. This has been I Feel Snitty, with Craig Rozniecki. Take care.