TRIBUTE - a new book of poetry by Antonio Cassone

COMING SOON!  In their 16^th published work, Antonio Cassone brings you TRIBUTE, a collection of poems written for loved ones – some living, but mostly for those passed on.  In this journey comes a discovery of living life to the fullest, remembering the importance of showing (and telling) your loved ones they are loved and to give people their “roses while they are still here.”  It is insightful and displays the effectiveness of each individual one crosses paths with in life – whether you have known them for years, or merely through friends and social media.  All lives are connected somehow and these remembrances share a common thread of never forgetting those who touch your life.  The volume is capped with an Epilogue of Acknowledgements providing some insights into the poems in the collection.  The book will be available at Amazon in both Paperback and Kindle edition formats.

In Memoriam: A Lifetime of Love, Loss and Tributes - Photography by Cassone, Part One

My March 2011 photography feature is a very personal one. It is a tribute to friends, colleagues and family members in my life who have since passed on. Here - each is represented by a floral image. Whether they were in my life for a season, or over a span of many years - I will always remember them. Below each photo is the name of the person it represents, along with a thought or two about them. It could be something they taught me, a memory we shared, a quality they had or a combination of all three. Or, something I would like them to know.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO SLIDESHOW In Memoriam: A Lifetime of Love, Loss & Tributes - Photography by Cassone

DORIS PETROSKI

My babysitter from when I was a mere child, you loved me. Thank you! How my folks and I missed your laugh over the years. You truly left too soon.

ALVIN DAVIS

He sat next to me in a class in high school. The class escapes me, but the fact that at such a young age seeing this young man vibrant and alive one day and gone the next was a hard and bitter pill to swallow. I have never forgotten him, nor the other fellow schoolmates we lost. It just is simply a damn shame to lose so many, so young - and with so much to offer. People like Alvin make me walk through life with a wonder of ...what could have been.

MARIE VILLAPONDO

First of all, girl - forgive me - I always had your name spelled various ways.

My memories of you are two words: Spirited & Smart.

ARVA THOMAS

No words can express the level of forgiveness I had for this young man when he left this Earth, and tragically so. I still shake my head. All I know, is the emotional growth and spiritual development that young man went through his last year of life could span a lifetime for others.

ANDRE STREETER

One of those, if I knew for only a season..., may as well have been a lifetime.

Maybe we were brothers in a former life, perhaps it is just a bond in spirits.

Andre knows how much his tragic death has affected me

still to this day, some 25+ years later.

I can feel, sense, almost touch

...from the very depths of my soul

~ and so many unanswered questions.

Just makes me want to holler.

A deep and profound loss.

PETRONELLA "ANNA" CASSONE

Thank you for your son.

My dad was a good man, and you raised him right.

And so it goes...

LARRY VARA

Truly...

a testament in forgiveness.

"UNCLE" DON CASSONE & AUNT "CINEMA DIVA" SANDRA CASSONE

It was like I was just getting to know you two, when Aunt Sandra left us.

Then life happened and time passed - and then Uncle Don left.

Other than my parents, I never knew another couple who loved each other

so deeply, or so much.

RAYMUNDO & OPHELIA

thank you for your daughter, she is like a sister to me

...even closer...

"ROSE" MARIE GIBBS

Open door policy...

a virtuous woman...

"LAVENDER SILK: DANNY TURNER"

Damn! Damn! Damn!

So smooth, so fine, so damn funny...

and you accepted people for who they were,

not what they were...

RITA SOUTHERS

Strong Woman;

blessed by a huge, loving family

KENNETH DIX

...the one that got away -

I often wonder 'what if' and 'how things would have turned out

if I would have made my move' -

glad we re-connected in this lifetime

for me to come visit you and say goodbye -

and I am sorry I didn't come to your funeral.

It was a bit too much to handle at the time.

ROSEMARY CONROY

strong-willed & very determined

CECIL GIBBS

one could never stay mad at Ceil...

always made me feel like I was at home,

very talented and generous with those talents

...though I do wonder why about a few things sometimes

CHRISTY PHILYAW HARRISON

My online buddy, I miss our random back and forths

in the middle of the night ...and thank YOU for liking, if

not loving my little works of art

"MOTHER" PEGGY CALDWELL

first of all, thank you for your daughter -

she is like a second mother to me...

you remind me of any and everything that home

should look, feel, sound and BE

and for that Thanksgiving after my mom passed

away I thank you a thousand times over

DARLENE JONES

high energy bliss

MOLDAVIA ISHTAR

you were like Joan Collins & Diahann Carroll

all rolled in to one - in a good way...

loved your sense of style

&

I still will never do Dixie Chicks

Not Ready to Make Nice

because you did it so well

..damn you lol

MELBA MOORE

Melba, Melba, Melba...

SO MANY MEMORIES!

Thank you for those.

Anya and I STILL talk about you every now and then,

the stops at the doughnut shop,

riding home with you and Fantasya,

that karaoke show we used to do,

fighting over numbers,

Cuervo,

I miss you, girl -

those were some really good times.

...And sorry about Leroy

LOUISE FRITSCHEN

my maternal great grandmother...

I hardly remember her, but

she gave life to my beloved Googles

...and anybody who knows me knows that

Googles was one of my best friends in life - ever.

DORIS BLACKWELL

a lovely and kind woman

GENEVIEVE JEDRO

Oh My God!
Never, ever did I think hanging out with

my Mom's friends would have been so much fun...

Thank you for coming to

Toronto with us...

truly a highlight in my life

"UNCLE" RALPH FRITSCHEN

very, VERY duty minded

devoted to God & country

loved his mom

a very simple man

SHAWN ABRAHAM

resilient

funny

very talented

...and such a brave and fearless fighter

REGGIE THOMPSON

a very kind and generous man

IRENE FECKO

'The Lady'

...always such a lady

DENNIS ASHBY a.k.a. RITA PORTER

thank you for always thinking of me

and asking about me

...it, like your approval, meant a lot to me

SHARON L. CASSONE

My mother...

you said I would miss you when you were gone

you were so right

ROBERT "ROCKY" CASSONE

my father

first of all, who knew your Ave Maria would be such

a hit - thanks for recording it for us

your voice lives on

and people used to criticize your easy going way

NOW, I understand that being mellow is the way to go

it kinda keeps everything on an even keel

this one reminded me so much of my Dad...

vibrant and loud, colorful; yet, subtle

WILLIAM "BILLY" EARL GIBBS II

I am not sure why we got so close near the end for you.

I no longer question it, but I will say this...

Thank YOU for reaching out to me and needing me.

It was so needed at that time in my life and

what a joyful, blessing you were to so many.

WALTER McCOY

What can I say?

I miss our talks.

You were a good friend and roomie.

...and thank your for Miss Bea.

Hey Walter, Pam and I miss wondering

what wonderful cake creation you'd be

baking for everybody on Sundays...

ELIZABETH "LIZ" PATRICK

no matter how dark your day may have been,

you always managed to tell a joke or two

to put a smile on SOMEONE ELSE's face

thanks for the laughs; giggles too

GRANDMA MARGARET "GOOGLES" DICKENSHEET

thank you, thank you, thank you

I miss our talks about movies and music

you were one cool, fabulous lady

one of my bestest friends ever

and sorry I never told you about the thing

I wasn't mature enough to face up to that responsibility

...though, I do wonder, if I make you proud - now....

...always on my heart

Tears Shrouded in Shards of Debris - a 9/11 Commemorative Poem, by Antonio Cassone

Tears Shrouded in Shards of Debris

Though not a victim, not a fatality, not even a relative
Feelings of the most incomprehensible loss overcome
It is as though our collective breath took pause
For a moment, it seemed like we were outdone

Since then, emotional distress takes me over
The edge of nevermore, consuming any kind of thought
Imagining what so many went through in just a moment
Fear cloaked in tears get me right about my throat, caught

My heart races in a panic, as if trying to escape
From what …and why run from whatever destiny
Outer demons had in mind for those who died
The children, the women, the heroes…

Never forget that fateful September day
Like minute pieces of glass
Cutting me as my jagged flesh tears away
So many lives destroyed within a flash

Damaged, I hear the cries in the darkness
The shards of debris come at me in fierce fashion
Splicing and thrusting forward in my nightmare
A nightmare that was a reality

Crashing thunderous downward
Nowhere to run
Nowhere to hide
Wondering, waiting

Awakened from this recurring incubus
Going on in our daily lives
Through the wars, during the constant fears
Provoked, driven, cursing evermore into subconscious

Took many summer days to strive forward
Long autumn afternoons remembering what once was
Cold, dark winter nights; shivering in the storm
And after the storm, springs hope anew

Breathing in a sense of survival
A willingness to carry on
A belief in all that is right and true
A promise that again today can lead to tomorrow

We have to continue to come together, to commemorate,
Celebrate the lives of our lost brothers and sisters
And come through and look into each others’ eyes…
Each others’ faces …and see you …and me

© 2009 Antonio Cassone - All Rights Reserved

Long Time Coming (and a Long Way to Go)

Log the date - it was 8/15/09.

Ok...to answer Meach's question from earlier about how much weight I have lost and what my goal is...

I was at a friends before the show last night and GUESS what in Sam's name was there on the floor before me...?

A SCALE... Ugh.

So, since I have been feeling svelte these days, I said, "...mmmm, why not?"

I was nervous at first...only because it has been 5+ years since I have been under 350lbs...everytime I went to my Doc - nada...'oh well' we'd say & carry on with my program.

He advised me to not get on a scale till I see him in September, BUT that was only because he felt I was too discouraged.

See, back in January, I was hospitalized overnight after thinking I was having a heart attack. I had this sharp pain on the left side of my neck, my fingers were tingly and this shooting pain went up and down my arm.

Well, thankfully, THAT was due to a pinched nerve (no picnic either, but better than the alternative). It was just where it was, and my doctor (who came down the next morning to visit me personally IN the hospital - who's doctor does that anymore? MINE does...heehee). BUT it got me to thinking... I thought, what IF...people will say I 'had it coming' or (Lord forbid) died because I was fat.

"Well, you know, Antonio was kinda fat?" And the snowball of jokes consuming my mind swirled ... and I thought, enough is enough...

Foregoing false pride, I also need to do this FOR ME. Let's face it, I will be 40 next year the good Lord willing. Besides, I have overcome a lot in my life. Why not fight this battle too? And conquer it!

WHEN I was there I finally was able to find out my weight, as they had a scale that registered a weight over 350 lbs.

I weighed 368 lbs back in January 2009.

My doctor and I were pleased...mainly because we FINALLY knew my actual weight and could gauge it AND I wasn't over 400 lbs like I had originally thought. AND..because of the pinched nerve they ran every test under the sun for my ticker, which showed it was doing fabulously - which also told my doctor and I that we could carry on with my program - and add a bit of exercise in.

Flash forward to April 2009, I was at the same friend's house I was at last night and he had two scales there. I weighed myself on one and it said 356lbs. I was delirious with joy...so I got on the other scale to confirm it and it registered 356 lbs.... We were both excited..., but not for long because something was telling me something wasn't quite right.

Sure enough, 356 was the highest most standard bathroom scales go - or so it seemed. I was over it!

So, not sure about my progress or not, I carried on.

Since then, I went on and off my program several times, but the gaps between have been less each time.

I still hear from my good friends, all of you are tagged in this note - THANK YOU for encouraging me, keep it up. Whether you have said something(s) to me in the past, showed me by example with how you live or are in my life right now at work, the shows, even one of you I met here on Facebook... at one time or another something you said or did encouraged me to get to where I am today - and to continue on this path.

Most were nice, and some were actually a bit hard to take, but what has helped me the most are the nice re-enforcements, not the 'you should take this diet' or 'you should take the stairs' or ' you shouldn't eat that.' That drives me the furthest away.

Yes, I do still eat Pizza (had one this week, but split it into three meals - instead of one).

Yes, I take the elevator at work. My knees are shot and while the hips move well on stage, they don't do so well on concrete stairs...but I do take the stairs occasionally (I used to never take them at all).

I exchanged my hot fudge, swirly, french Vanilla ice cream thingy to Lowfat frozen Strawberry Yogurt...

I started lifting weights again (haven't done that since I was in my 20s).

Baby steps...have led to where I am now and will carry me further.

My doc has been awesome too, wanting me to lose my weight slowly, because I have sworn off lap band, tummy tuck, liposuction.. No way. No how are they going to cut this one over here.

THIS WEEK

First of all, I moved over to my fourth notch on my belt EVERY DAY this week. That, in and of itself, was monumental only because it didn't take long for the first advances across my waistline (1st to 2nd then 2nd to 3rd), but this notch was difficult and long to get to. I am there now - and it feels great.

Then, Saturday night before the show there I was in my friends living room, sipping a cocktail, when I glanced over and saw the scale...

I acted almost on impulse...

I got on and did a double take...

He looked and grinned, saying "No F-in' way!'

I got off, got on again.

I took off my padding for the show to see if the number I was seeng would nudge down, and it did.

He handed me a steel framed chair to hold to see if the figure on the scale went up some more - it did.
Off again, on again - and repeat to confirm...and...

I weigh 344 lbs.

24 lbs lost since the end of January.

It is a good start.

It isn't a lot, but that is about what my doctor had planned for me.

We want a measured...timely weight loss, to keep it off.

This is very exciting and I am so glad I braved it and went ahead and weighed in.

It gives me something to go by now, when for so long I was in the dark.

Thanks to all of my support team, I will keep at it over here.

It's very simple, I know - I just wanted you to know that FINALLY (after so many years) I actually DO know how much I weigh ...and it's under the 350 mark.

That will be nice to keep it that ways and go down the scale even more in time for my doctor's visit in September.

I may have to bring my video camera for that one.