Official Review: Blanket of Hearts by Robert A. Cozzi

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GKCfan
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Official Review: Blanket of Hearts by Robert A. Cozzi

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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Blanket of Hearts" by Robert A. Cozzi.]
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3 out of 4 stars
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Official Review: Blanket of Hearts, by Robert A. Cozzi

Blanket of Hearts is a volume of poetry that reflects on numerous matters of love, loss, loneliness, fear, and many other emotions that come from building– or failing to build– connections with other people.

The short collection has titles such as “Exhilaration,” “Breathless Emotions,” “Melting Time With Fantastic Beauty,” and “Lilac Breeze.” Many of the poems are very short, but a lot of feeling radiates off of many of the lines. Some of the poems are full of genuine emotion, and it is clear that Cozzi is using his poetry to address some deep-seated pain at times. “Missing Andy on Midnight Bowling Night” makes one wonder who Andy was, especially when the reader reads the line, “The news of your accident.” Was Andy a friend? A sibling? It’s not clear, and the reader is left pondering the true character (and fate) of the Andy behind the poem.

Indeed, after reading these poems, I’m not completely sure that I have any real idea who Cozzi is, aside from the brief details in an introduction. A comment in Cozzi’s dedication indicates that his parents have passed away (my condolences to Mr. Cozzi), and one poem centered around grieving a mother tends towards the conclusion that this poem is based on the author’s experience. At the same time, it is not always certain that the narrator of each poem is really Cozzi, because it could just as easily be an acquaintance of Cozzi’s or a wholly fictional character. The emotions always have a ring of authenticity, but we don’t always know who expressed them, if anybody who actually lived ever did. All of these expressions of love and loss may be straight from the author’s life, lifted from someone else’s experiences, or crafted out of thin air. Is a romantic encounter something straight out of Cozzi’s life, or is it just a dream? We don’t know.

In the end, the fact that the narrative truth behind the emotional truth remains elusive means that the power of the book is slightly blunted. When the poetry veers into abstract emotions rather than concrete experiences, it becomes more difficult for the reader to attach meaning to certain poems. In many cases, the simplicity of the poems is a strength, but on occasion it means that the surface of certain emotions is barely scratched, and at times much more is needed to create a satisfying connection between poet and reader. Nevertheless, Cozzi has created a memorable collection that deserves consideration by fans of contemporary poetry.

I give this book three out of four stars.

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Blanket of Hearts
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Olivia750
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Post by Olivia750 »

Nice sharing
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