poet | writer | artist
New novel!
A beautiful, poetic, ethereal read, The Shoemaker is the story of a great-grandfather and great-grandson connected by blood and by their passion for shoes. At first Manny has little time for his ancestors, but as his great-grandfather’s life draws magically closer, at times aided by benevolent apparitions, he begins to glimpse the answers to the questions about the meaning of life that have been plaguing him. Shoes play an important and enlightening role throughout the story and deliver so many gems I had to stop and savor, my favorite being that with a good pair of shoes, you can go anywhere and achieve anything. Masterfully told, the further you read, the tighter the threads the author has so expertly woven come together, leaving you, like Manny, with a renewed perspective of the meaning of family, home, and what to do with our precious time on this earth.
—Hilary Hauck, From Ashes to Song and The Things We’ll Never Have
In writer Mark Saba’s poetry collection from Kelsay Books, Flowers in the Dark, rich evocative poems depict landscapes of the heart, home, and time travels. A keen observer who respects the Earth, Saba has crossed life’s shadows and underscores what matters. He muses on his roots in the Allegheny foothills of Pittsburgh, traditions of grandparents from the Old World, and the plight of today’s immigrants. Weaving in exquisite metaphors and vivid scenes that appeal to all the senses, Saba recalls the power of pulsating clouds, blush peonies on a home altar, and creaking trees. Many thought-provoking poems end on notes of upbeat resignation. Lessons learned during a lifelong storm, he now values the essence of words, an object’s roots. In this timeless book, Saba brilliantly captures quotidian happenings that have evolved into treasured milestones.
—Amy Barone, poet and author of Defying Extinction and We Became Summer
Watch the book trailer on YouTube.
Welcome
Thank you for visiting my site.
I’ve been writing for more than 40 years in the genres of fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and more recently, memoir. It’s what keeps me going. I also paint. I’ve dabbled in making poetry videos as well. In my painting, fiction writing, nonfiction writing, and video endeavors I think it all boils down to poetry. Poetry is at the heart of everything I do. I try to uncover the essence of my subject matter, to distill it down to its bones. Each piece, no matter the genre, is unique in that regard. I never look to my previous work as a model for anything new I’m creating. I let it speak for itself. It’s hard. But it’s worth the effort. I hope you’ll agree as you peruse my work.
