Livro A lie for a lie, a truth for a truth

GLAUCO ORTOLANO Poems

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GLAUCO ORTOLANO Poems
1ª Edição
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2021
1º Edição
Capa
Ilustração: Rafael - Os Profetas Oséias e Jonas
Projeto Gráfico
Renato Castanhari Jr.
Revisão
Eleusa Alencar
Impressão e acabamento
Ekopress Soluções Gráficas
Ficha Catalográfica
Ortolano, Glauco
A lie for a lie, a truth for a truth
Glauco Ortolano - Ribeirão Preto, SP: Corpo Doze, 2021.
78 p.: 22,0 cm
Poesia.
ISBN 978-85-68446-04-1
1. Poesia brasileira I. Título
CDD B869.1
Corpo 12
Rua Carlos Lucas Evangelista, 474
Ribeiranea, Ribeirão Preto, SP
CEP 14096-480
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Acknowledgments
The 2020's started out catching the world by surprise
and changed our lifestyle completely. The unforgiving
pandemic not only took many of our loved ones away from our
presence but also made many of us question our own existence,
and contemplate the afterlife.
Such life-threatening experience affected my poetic
sensibilities, pushing me to elevate my thoughts, accelerate my
repentance process, and search for more wisdom beyond my
own, or even that of any man. As a result, my poems gained a
different essence, existential and perhaps more intimate with
the divine truth.
I chose to write the poems of this collection always on
the Sabbath, a day reserved for meditation and amalgamation
with the Almighty. I sought inspiration from on high and often
felt assured of being receiving guidance.
I am thankful to my wife and friends for the
encouragement and the peace of mind I needed to write, as well
as to Dr. Adriano Moz for writing the Presentation with keen
observations that only scholars of his caliber can achieve. I am
also thankful to the designer of the book, Renato Castanhari, a
new friend, and fellow writer Dr. Brian Oliver Peppin.
G.O.
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Contents
PREFACE
PRINCIPLES
THE MAN OF GREAT FAITH
OF TRUTH AND LIES
THE POEM THAT COULD NEVER BE WRITTEN
FEELING AWE
PROPHETIC INSIGHT
THE HOUSE ON MELBOURNE AVENUE
MAKING AMENDS
CHOICES
TASTE OF LOVE
LIFTING THE VEIL
FEAR
KEEPING THE LIGHT ON
THE FLAWLESS MYTH
MERE STEWARDS
THE VALLEY OF THE LIVING DEAD
THE LIGHTHOUSE
REFUGE FROM THE STORM
13
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
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THE SABBATH
THE UNFATHOMABLE OF THE OPERA
MEETING AGAIN ON A SUNNY DAY
SEIZING THE DAY
THE PRICE OF WISDOM
AT WILL
MIRACLES
OF CHARITY AND GREED
THE DONATION
OF POEMS AND TRUTH
THE CHILD IN ME
SEVEN
LOVING MAI MA
LIVING WATER
STEADFAST LOYALTY
A FINE LINE
HEAVEN OR HAVEN
CONFESSION
THE GIFT OF FREE AGENCY
39
40
41
42
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
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LOVE ONE ANOTHER
TURN ON THE LIGHT
LILIES OF THE FIELD
THE SOUND OF AN INSIGHT
BIRTH PAINS
NOBODY KNOWS THE DAY OR THE HOUR
PRIORITIES
VALLEY OF DRY BONES
JEZREEL VALLEY
THE ARRIVAL
PAINFUL MEMORIES
RECIPROCITY
LOVE
A GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN
THE ROCK
TOLLING BELL
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
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Preface
Of the fifty-three poems that this collection exhibits,
there is not a single one that does not show substantial
relevance, a deep personal engagement, and a solid
philosophical basis. The poet, Glauco Ortolano, in a loose
metrical pattern, with a combination of various types of short
stanzas, and without the burden of multiple rhymes, interjects
into his verses the wisdom of a mind dedicated to capture the
reader's attention on highly engaged social and personal
thoughts, all enveloped in perennial principles. The titles
themselves indicate that the content of this lyrical collection
intend to conceptualize what in this life is 'Temporary', versus
what is 'Eternal', what is 'Appearance' versus what is true
'Reality'.
To this purpose, the present selection initiate the
analysis of the human existence with the poem "Principles"
that sets the philosophical basis of the entire booklet, while the
collection finalizes with the harsh sound of the last poem,
"Tolling Bell," with which the author thoughtfully concludes
his ideas on the circle of human existence. Ortolano, well
knowing the Italian Renaissance champions, Dante and
Petrarch, revisit and synthetize in his own original way, the
spiritual voyage of perdition, purification, and glorification,
that those two great figures had developed with their immortal
works. And this he does not forgetting at least another author,
pilasters of the universal philosophical thought, such as
Augustin of Ippona with his Confessions.
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At a quick look to some of the titles of Glauco Ortolano's
poems, one is immediately elevated to the very highly engaging
content and to the extension of their meaning, both explored in
a variety of ways. Topics like the following -- his feelings as part
of the human race; his personal convictions; his experiences of
love in all its forms; the mysteries of the afterlife; the happiness
and sadness of his daily living, with the theme of carpe diem;
the virtues and the vices of this world; human birth and death;
friendship, loyalty, miracles, and memories; nature, and his
glimpse of Heaven--, all subjects that are integral part of the
poet's profound meditation, while he proposes them also to the
consideration of his reader and to all human kind. All that and
more is explicit in Glauco's poems, especially in the following
selection: Prophetic insight, Taste of Love, Lifting the Veil,
Seizing the Day, Miracles, Confession, Living Waters, Lilies of
the Field, Nobody Knows the Day or the Hour, A Glimpse of
Heaven. Behind the places, the people, and the various
situations here recollected, the reader can moreover perceive a
deep symbolism, through which his soul feels
'metamorphosed' by Ortolano's intimate poetic process, that
tends to transform this 'World of Lies' into a 'Universe of
Truths.'
Principles and Tolling eBll-the first and the last poems
of the present collection-, embrace all the subject matters of the
book, manifesting the author intention to affirm, in no
ambiguous terms and with a direct philosophical approach, the
'eternity' and 'universality' of his 'Principles', in contrast with
what he describes as the 'history of nations… that rise and fall',
i.e. history 'destined to die'. Besides, what is more appropriate,
as a final poem and thought, than the consideration through
which our writer describes the end of our life as a 'tolling bell,'
that heavenly hammers the air, from the very day 'when we are
born' till the hour 'when we die'?
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About this final hour, he strongly proclaims - with the
profound feeling of who justly has his doubts -, that 'One day I
hope I'll be proud of whom I became.' Unequivocally, with
these considerations and in the overall set up of the present
collection, our poet reflects on the various, personal and
universal, happenings of his life, as he touches upon the
emotional and physical variety of the mysteries (miracles;
truths and lies; nature and love; God and Heaven; birth pains,
growth in wisdom, and death) of human life, although always
in the light of eternity.
An alternative way to read the line of thoughts that
characterize the present collection of poems, is to imagine -
with Ortolano -, that we enter our existence by and from the
mind of God into this perishable world, to subsequently return
to the Heavenly Universe, this time with a spiritual and
renewed body. In fact, from the verses of Principles - in which
we see ourselves present in God's eternal Mind -, we move to
the verses of Taste of Love - seen as the 'good-evil fruit' of the
Eden Garden -, where the poet positively affirms that 'love
shows you the truth'. Through this fact, before the day of our
defunction, there will occur the Lifting [of] the Veil that
envelops the mystery of our birth. We, once in this world, have
(providentially) forgotten - says our poet -, where we came
from, but death will lift for us that curtain of secrecy.
Examining now the poem n. 21, Seizing the Day, the
author makes an introspective reflection, telling himself that, if
he could re-live his life, he would eliminate both the vices and
the pain. Nevertheless, as he definitely cannot do that, he will
'seize the day' and live in a way that, looking back into his past,
he would feel 'without regrets,' thing that must begin now, as 'it
is never too late' to make the right choice and to Seize the Day
for good deeds. This is what, in alternative words, Glauco calls
The Prize of Wisdom, a gift which we all need to petition to God
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through prayer. Although not necessarily the Almighty, in His
all-encompassing knowledge, will listen to the supplicant
prayers and might send instead some form of tribulation, He is
always intervening in a way that causes people to understand
that, by 'facing challenges', they will receive, as result, the
Wisdom itself. The conclusion of all this elaborated process is
for our poet: 'Seek and you shall find', which can be translated
as: 'Be prepared to pay the prize in full,' at least in this mortal
life.
Continuing on this line of examination, the poem At Will
reveals the relationship between Man and Nature. This second
term, is a major reference not only to the essential constitution
of our human body and spirit, but also to that of the other
creatures around us, be them 'animal,' 'vegetal' or 'mineral.'
Nature, in all its aspects - because created for man -, must be
preserved in its entirety, “sub poena mortis” of every human
being. Contrasting with this thought of death, the poet
introduces next poem, entitled Miracles. With the good use of
Nature comes man happiness, which is represented by
everyday good events. Nevertheless, we, as busy as we are, do
not often notice those miracles. For this reason - says our poet -
was instituted the 'Sabbath', the feast day which obligates us to
return to the essentials, physically and metaphorically, i.e. to
flowers, rain, forests, and all living and not living creatures!
In the 31st and 32nd poems, Loving Mai Mai and Living
Waters, the reader must notice the striking junction of the two
selected words, 'loving' and 'living', which emphasizes, through
the alphabetical change of the two vowels o and i, the essential
similarity and difference between the two terms. Ortolano first
contemplates, as from outside, his own Love - spiritual and
physica - liking it to soft falling 'snow,' but at the same time he
thinks of the extraordinary way he himself is the one who 'first'
walks on that white virgin carpet.
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In the same fashion and with a different image, he
considers his love as a prime look both at a 'living river' and at
the transparent verses of the scriptural book of Proverbs.
Through the 32nd poem, our modern poet, in his inspired
lyrical way, relates the sublime meaning that Christ Himself
gave to the words: “Whoever drinks of this water shall never be
thirsty again.” As a matter of fact, it is clear the meaning by
which Glauco desires to project into the reader the thought that
the 'fruits of love' are those 'living waters' themselves, a
statement that can be also read in the sense that love and living
water, both spring out one from the other. The person who
really loves, projects into his environment those virgin waters,
while propelling every human being into the everlasting life, so
being 'the first' to “overjoy“ and also to “ever joy” in it, as the
fruits of the first resurrection.
As for Confession, the 36th poem, it is composed only of
one stanza, with 12 verses and 3 rhymes. It is a jewel that
projects a special light on feelings and thoughts. Ortolano here
affirms, at this particular moment of his life, that he 'is in
search of what is left of me after a night of love and passion.' In
an unselfish and mystical movement of his beautiful heart, our
poet consider what really meant to give himself totally to
another human being, as both of them are images of the
Creator. He finds the solution in what God Himself expressed
through Scriptures when He said: 'It is not good for man to be
alone'. The Maker of all living things was, at the beginning of
our time—says Ortolano in rapture –the Sublime and Supreme
Poet, who gave man the most perfect means for his total
“purification through amalgamation!”
Lilies of the Field, is the 40th poem, where we find our
poet marveling about creation, symbolized by the lilies, their
perfume and beauty never matched, not even by Salomon's
greatest splendor.
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On the contrary, the shameful modern man, not only
does not preserve Nature for the goodness of all, but even 'kills'
the created unanimated beings 'with acid rain, mercury and
sulfur,' or, even worse, at the 'human' birth, kills directly his
own offspring. In the 42nd poem, Birth Pains, Ortolano
continues with the thought that, to add injury to sorrow, we
men first 'cover our fears with earthly pleasures,' and then we,
not only destroy the beauty of the earth with chemicals, but also
kill 'human' life. Man is acting “like a volcano lurking under the
sea," in both of the following cases: during the pains of a normal
live birth, and especially during the pain for a lost fetus, so
behaving as in “the old story of the Ark," where he provoked
“the inevitable destruction” by the deluge, as the necessary
consequence of the 'mocking' and ungodly human behavior.
When we arrive to the 43rd , 44th, 45th, 46th, 47th, and
48th poems, we find an almost apocalyptic scenario, where a
glimpse of the last signs of this world surface to the mind of our
poet, with a title such as Nobody Knows the Day or the Hour, by
which we are reintroduced into the kingdom of the afterlife
through the end of the reign of this world. At this time, Truths
and Lies - next poem -, are revealed as they are, with their lights
and deceptions, 'clarifying one another,' meaning both that
truth cannot be kept prisoner, and that lies cannot obscure the
world with their darkness. On the other end, the 48th poem,
Painful Memories, have the function 'to promote full
repentance,' in order to 'provide us with a passage to make
amendments' and to 'cleanse the past.'
The final stage of this poetic itinerary, is a 'hymn to
immortality' in four poems, by which Ortolano, sees himself as
a person 'justified' by the verses of four poems: first by Love
(poem n. 50), then by A Glimpse of Heaven and The Rock (n. 51
& 52) and finally by Tolling Bell (n. 53). Love - he says -,
showed by deeds, is the climax of human existence, is the Rock
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that spoke to Glauco with words that stated the truth about
finding 'the purpose of life' and by which 'much truth I
learned,' and through which 'I feel safe to home return.' By
these truths, the poet (and mankind with him), will 'travel
through the galaxies' and reach to Heaven, where everything is
'pure white, peace, life, love eternal'; where the songs have
'tones unheard;' where there is 'comfortable warmth.' Up
there, one has 'no need to sleep', because, once our physical life
comes to an end, all of us with our poet will be “proud of whom I
[we] became.” This itinerary is a life story seen by Ortolano not
as a pure poetic fantasy, but as a program for everybody's life, in
which we, as informed readers, can find nourishment for our
physical existence and bliss for our immortal spirits.
Infinite thanks to Glauco Ortolano for having poured his
sublime thoughts into this literary universe, for the goodness of
our often-sad time!
Dr. Adriano Moz,
Professor Emeritus of Italian Literature
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1- PRINCIPLES
When taught correct principles
A people prosper, they say
When led astray, they will fall
Until they correct their ways
Nations rise, nations fall
Those corrected are only a few
The chosen becomes the fallen
The fallen gives way to the new
The principles, however, are eternal
They remain intact and still
Nations rise, nations fall
Until one gives up at will
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2- THE MAN OF GREAT FAITH
On my way to Jerusalem, once a man I met
He prayed with so much faith
That one day, the world to a standstill came
Heavens opened, the heart swelled
Angels assured that all was well
He fell on the ground astonished
Wishing he hadn't that much faith
A voice of thunder shook his soul
But the poor man had nowhere to go!
When he finally opened his eyes,
He saw something divine
(Not fit for a lowly poet to describe)
At once peace upon him fell
As he heard the thunderous voice give him a command:
"From here on, your tongue,
Only of this truth shall tell"
This is the story of the man of great faith,
Whose vision, the world and his life has changed
He travels from land to land
Fulfilling his mission
Sharing his vision
To the end
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3- OF TRUTH AND LIES
Of truth and lies
I know enough about the first
To know
What beneath the latter
Lies
Truth provides you light
To carry you safely
Through the way
Lies,
Deceptions are
Only meant
To lead you
Astray
Truth cannot lie
As a lie cannot be true
I know enough of the latter
To know
What it says about the first,
Can never be said to be
True
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4- THE POEM THAT COULD NEVER BE WRITTEN
Without thy hand to move my pen
Oh God,
I cannot write
I cannot say
For how can a lowly poet reveal,
The marrow of truths reserved to men?
If thy whispers do not reach my soul
As my sins turn me deaf,
My spirit most foul
How can I write what is there to be said
If my senses are blocked,
My path beaten?
Oh, God, I know
This poem, as intended
Could never be written
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5- FEELING AWE
When I gaze at the sea,
I feel awe
Or at the stars, the forest,
But especially at me
It is in that split-second moment of realization
When by looking at the masterpiece,
I only the Creator can see
With awe!
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6- PROPHETIC INSIGHT
A woman once wondered
What prophetic insight means
She asked and she begged
Till the wise man grinned
Prophetic insight, said the wise man
Is not for the intellect or reason
You can only know where it lies
By seeing ancient prophecy
Realizing before your eyes
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7- THE HOUSE ON MELBOURNE AVENUE
To Bill and Rosemary Cantrell
I once lived in a house on Melbourne Avenue
Where principles were larger than the TV
With a doorway open to heaven
That fed the hungry with bread unleavened
Memories come rushing back to meet me old
With a tapestry of experiences untold
Fast Sundays that were rather slow
Food storage for years to go
It was a house of love and respect
A house of faith and joyful service
I shall cherish as long as I can
The house that taught me who I am
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8- MAKING AMENDS
Life is short and the clock is ticking
A house divided will not stand
Deep inside we know what is missing
The time is now for making amends
Why should we put our pride to rest?
Just say sorry and move on at last?
Forgiveness is divine, it sets the tone
For all the hearts to beat as one
When we are humble, pride falls
When we are proud, progression stalls
Making amends, the hearts freshen
Clears the path towards heaven
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9- CHOICES
Choices are only ours to make
Some are wise
Some are not
Some will lead us to joy
Some to repentance
Some will mark us forever
Leaving eternal
Consequences
29

10- TASTE OF LOVE
I have proved enough of love
To know how it tastes
It is not as sweet, or bitter
As some have stated
It tastes more like the good-evil fruit
That, of the Garden of Eden
It awakens you from your deep sleep
Shakes you up even
Love shows you the truth
Opens your naked eyes
Before that dreadful day
When you lay down and die!
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11- LIFTING THE VEIL
When we are born, we forget
The place where we came from
Like an insightful dream
That we try in vain to remember
We spend our lives contemplating
That imaginary world that was real
Some flashes of memories surface
Only to remind us of our purpose here
But when our mission comes to an end
The veil of secrecy is lifted from our eyes
And the dream we knew it was not
Is finally confirmed again
31

12- FEAR
Some say they fear death
But I, on the contrary,
Fear life most of all
I fear an unworthy life
Betraying my conscience
The prejudices I could not overcome
Not achieving the goals I set for myself
Not having loved enough
Having fallen for obscure dogmas
Not having given my all
Lacking empathy for my fellow beings of all kinds
Not comprehending the importance of forgiving
As to be forgiven of my own trespasses
My selfishness
My moments of mediocrity
Lust
Avarice
Hypocrisy
I fear not death
For death has meaning
I only fear having lived a meaningless life
Having wasted my time
Hiding my talent
For being afraid of losing it
For not losing myself
To find myself
In life
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13- KEEPING THE LIGHT ON
When we turn off the guiding light
We get nothing but darkness
Losing the protection of our sight
Leads to nothing but blindness
Keeping the light on is a choice we make
Turning it off,
A poor choice, a mistake
For who would not want to see
What lies ahead
Of every step that we take?
Keep your lamp with oil to the brim
Let it not die off
Or your path dim
However long or short the journey may be
Without the guiding light
We are doomed to succumb
In our plight
To return
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14- THE FLAWLESS MYTH
A man, or woman, who is flawless,
Is nothing but a myth
We all struggle with our faults
Only to find purpose in overcoming
All that makes us stumble
Becoming, therefore, more humble
To continue on our journey
With more assurance
So, thanks to our flaws
We grow
A step closer
To achieving our desired
Purified inner vessels
And the ultimate goal,
Of perfection
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15- MERE STEWARDS
Earth was created for a special purpose
A home to be cherished
Not abused, destroyed, or put in distress
Killing plants, waters and air
Pure evil, no less
While gazing with awe at the mountains
The plains, deserts, or sea
I only see the Creator
Smiling on high at me
What greater joy there can be
Than to know earth is indeed
A divine gift for me?
Earth, however,
Is not ours to keep
We are mere stewards of nature
In the Lord's vineyard
Where we are supposed to labor
We must preserve it
Or die in the attempt
For the slothful servant
May die indeed
From his deeds
For only a small earth reaction
As perhaps a forest fire
Should suffice
35

16- THE VALLEY OF THE LIVING DEAD
Many will call it a day
Without having lived it fully
Only resting from a relentless day
Being too tired to realize and say
That those precious moments
A single day is made of
Are so precious indeed
That are not to be wasted
But tasted at its fullest
By sucking the morrow of bones
By striving for the pie in the sky
With an unquenchable desire
To win the battle of good over evil
Instead of just lay down in bed
In the Valley of the Living Dead
36

17- THE LIGHTHOUSE
Some say truth has many shades
Though shades do not belong to truth
But to hurried glances instead
Truth is clear and unique
Created to shine in a gloomy sea of horrors
It is indeed a lighthouse
That guides our ship away from sorrows
If I had to choose between gloom and light
I'd take the latter without hesitation
But if I got lost in a gloomy sea
I would light up my own candle
For even I am a piece of truth and light
And would survive
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18- REFUGE FROM THE STORM
Day after day, the storm strength gains
She sees it in the weather
She sees it in the news
No remedy she finds
To ease the pain
Night after night, the storm gets darker
She can even hear the evil's laughter
Where can I find shelter?
She cried in vain
As nothing seemed to ease the pain
Get away from the storm, young lady!
Cried a voice from nowhere
But where can I go, what can I say,
To make such an awful pain go away?
There is only one shelter from this unstoppable storm
Cried the voice once again,
The shelter is within
The shelter is your pray
Only your faith can ease the pain
38

19- THE SABBATH
Some regard the Sabbath
Just an ordinary day
Reserved to earthly pleasures
Much for the Lord's dismay
On the contrary,
The Sabbath is delightful,
An insightful
And rewarding day
It is a day of revelations
Of improved relations
With the Creator
That blesses us so on that day
Much for our own dismay
Do not waste your precious Sabbath
With the trivial and the mundane
Immerse yourself in His spirit
To feel loved and to obey
For there is nothing more joyful
Than keeping the Sabbath day
Again
And again
39

20- THE UNFATHOMABLE OF THE OPERA
It is rather shortsighted to say
We are born just to live and die
There is a lot more to this opera
Than meets the eye
For some reason unknown
We forget where we came from
But make no mistake
Of our eternal state of being
Birth is only a new beginning
From where we came, still a mystery
As we retain but a few glimpses
Shadows, voices may remain
Lingering memories, unforgettable,
Trying to give form to the ineffable,
Is the unfathomable purpose
Of this opera
40

21- MEETING AGAIN ON A SUNNY DAY
Before I die
I shall not say goodbye
As "so long my friends"
Seems more appropriate
If you attend my funeral
Spare your tears
And eulogies
For before you know it
We will be meeting again
On a sunny day
With the same excitement
We felt at our departure
While conceived
Into this world
By earthly parents
With a body of flesh and bones
To prove our worthiness
Our willingness to return
Home
41

22- SEIZING THE DAY
If I could live my life twice
I'd skip not only the vices
But also the pain and sorrow
Fruits of a life
Of seizing the day
While forgetting tomorrow
Since I already know
I cannot live it twice
No matter what I do
No matter what I say
I will do what is right
To seize the day
Perhaps one day, then
When my body gets tired
Before I lie down and rest
I can look back at my life
Without regrets
42

And be glad that I chose
To change the course
Without remorse
Without despair
And see that my life
Never got to the point
Beyond repair
It is never too late
To change our ways
We just must choose
How to seize the day
43

23- THE PRICE OF WISDOM
When I pray I ask for wisdom
However, I only face tribulations
More adversities for my kingdom
Said a king of many nations
Should I stop praying?
Asked the king to the wise,
Who looked into his eyes,
And advised him otherwise
You cannot wisdom acquire, said the wise
Without facing challenges first
Wisdom is knowledge we gain
By the sweat of our brow
Struggling with our challenges and
Ripping what we sow
Seek and you shall find
Knock and it shall open unto you
Be prepared, however,
To pay the price in full
44

24- AT WILL
Nature is ours to preserve
Not kill
He, or she, who misuses,
Will eventually die
At will
45

25- MIRACLES
Miracles happen every day
We are just too preoccupied
To notice them unfold
I believe, however, the Sabbath
Was indeed created
For that very purpose
If we want to see miracles
Witness them with awe
We must stop and admire
What is given us free
Be it flowers blooming
Water flowing
Or flying bees
The sun shines every day
Whether we see it or not
Rain falls somewhere
A forest breathes
Renews our air
While a polar bear
Somewhere in the Artic
Floats in the ice
Gazes at the stars
And sighs
46

26- OF CHARITY AND GREED
No man is so poor that he cannot give
The poorest of all,
One with no charity
Full of greed
47

27- THE DONATION
Three brothers inherited each a piece of land
The first raised crops and fruits
And soon, very wealthy became
The second raised sheep and pigs
Becoming wealthy just the same
The third, however, sold a piece of his land
To build a house, a school and a hospital
Without ever amassing a fortune at all
The years went by until the three brothers died
The children of the wealthy became wealthier still
Whereas, the children of the third could read and write
Becoming preachers, teachers, and doctors
Selflessly
Helping others overcome damnation
All thanks to their father's donation
48

28- OF POEMS AND TRUTH
I say
Poems must be in the old-fashioned way
Full of rhymes, full of sways
Full of wisdom,
Morals
Plain
For what good does a poem bring,
If not a chord of truth it rings?
A poem without a purpose
Without principles
May provoke stupor
But no miracles
For no eyes will ever see
What the Creator encrypted
At first, to conceal
Before inspiring
A deciphering poet
To reveal
49

29- THE CHILD IN ME
The antidote for malice
Is to look at the world
With a child's innocence
Refraining from evildoing
Before it even commences
“Truly I say unto you
Unless you change and become like little children,
You will never enter the kingdom of heaven"
Said our Savior, Redeemer,
And Master
Thus, I earnestly pray
The child inside of me
Never outgrows
And goes away
50

30- SEVEN
One evening,
Floating down the waters of the Nile
I gazed at the heavens
Noticing brighter new stars,
I counted,
They were seven
I also saw the Son of man
Walking among seven lampstands
With the same seven stars
Placed on his right hand
Only to remind me
Of the scars He gained
To save this lowly me
My sins forsake
Oh, so many meanings
His number seven carries
Seven days
Of the word's inception
Also of the Creator's authority
And perfection
Seven years of plenty and seven years of famine
Joseph deciphered
Of the pharos's dream
Seven seals we shall open
Before the seven plagues
Soon appear
51

31- LOVING MAI MAI
To my wife
Loving Mai Mai is like watching snow
Falling softly and quietly on the ground
Only to be the first to walk on it
Leaving the first and only footprints
There will ever be
Loving Mai Mai is like watching the river
Flowing through the rocks and fallen trees
Only to cover them with water
Caressing into a loving
Tender submission, a bliss
Loving Mai Mai is like reading proverbs
Gaining wisdom where it is lacking
For not all that my heart desires
Can bring everlasting joy
Forever after
52

32- LIVING WATER
Those who drink the living water
Shall never thirst
Those springing up into everlasting life
Shall be the first
53

33- STEADFAST LOYALTY
If we want to have proof
Of the Rock's eternal kingdom
Or perhaps
Of heaven, a simple taste
We must only prove
Our steadfast loyalty
And faith
First
54

34- A FINE LINE
Between life and death
Or darkness and light
There is, sometimes,
A mere fine line
Such line, however,
Can make no sense
But trespassing it
Makes
All difference
55

35- HEAVEN OR HAVEN
Our final resting place
Will depend on two things:
Either on faith
Or on grace
If we lack the first,
The latter
Will suffice to open us
A ladder
If not to heaven,
To haven
56

36- CONFESSION
I must confess
I dare
At my lover's semblance stare
In search of what is left of me
After a night
Of love and passion
Ingrained obsession
Of my flight
Away from selflessness
Toward purification
Through amalgamation
With a better soul
57

37- THE GIFT OF FREE AGENCY
There is no choice we cannot make
Paths we cannot take
For life is meant to reveal
Not what we knew
When we came
But what indeed became
Of our will
We can choose to steer
To the East or the West
To wherever our heart desires
For freedom is all that matters
The choice is ours
And only ours to make
Free agency has no limit
It is a gift,
It is a free passage
To our fate
58

38- LOVE ONE ANOTHER
A simple lesson to His disciples,
The great Master once taught
Love one another, he said
Regardless of race or color
All men the Creator resemble
Some are shorter, some are fairer
Some are male, some female
Does it really matter?
If we're all equal before His eyes
Why should I be so deaf and blind?
For blind is he who cannot see
Only a figment of the mind
Love one another, the Master said
Listen to my words and take heed
Pluck hatred off your heart
Only then you'll begin to live
Before the day our journey ends
All our prejudices should be in order
For the great question He shall ask,
Did you love one another?
59

39- TURN ON THE LIGHT
When night falls hard before you expect
You should not fear
A plight is a plight
Just reach to the switch
You turn on the light
A miracle happens
Darkness cannot the presence of light stand
It flees,
It fades
After all, darkness
Only proves to be a coward
When light comes
With glory,
Power
60

40- LILIES OF THE FIELD
Consider the lilies of the field
Remember how they used to grow?
They toiled not,
Neither did they spin
Yet I say unto you
Even Solomon in all his glory
Did not dare to kill them as we do
With acid rain
Mercury,
Sulfur
61

41- THE SOUND OF AN INSIGHT
Nothing will speak louder
Than the deafening silence
Of a meditation insight
Reveled to us
On the calm hours
Of a Sunday night
62

42- BIRTH PAINS
Birth pains are incessant signs
Like a volcano lurking under the sea
The eruption is certain
Sky with ashes fleeced
Occurring, sometimes
Only when we expect it
The least
Thus, we cover our fear
With earthly pleasures
Denying the inevitable fate
Some will laugh
Others mock
Always refuting the poet
With scorn
For as such
Was the old story of the ark
The pursuit of pleasure
We all know
Is still
The mark
63

43- NOBODY KNOWS THE DAY OR THE HOUR
"When is the time of His coming?"
Asks the woman in her prayers
"Nobody knows the day or hour,"
Cries a voice in the heavens
Neither the day nor the hour shall we know
Except for what the signs will show
For he, or she
Who looks for the signs and warnings foretold
Will surely see
What is there to be seen
What is there to be meant
And know
64

44- PRIORITIES
We may not know the day of our demise
Only that such fatidic day
Inevitable is
Yet, far more important
Than foreseeing our end
Is to see the beginning
Of a righteous life
Of good deeds and love
Unfeigned
65

45- VALLEY OF DRY BONES
As Israel bid farewell to Babylon
In the Valley of Dry Bones
So should we
Overcome the sins and enticements
Of the world
Thus, when our time to return from the grave comes,
Ley our bones reconnect with our figure
So we may be allowed to fight the last insurrection
As the fruits of the first resurrection
66

46- JEZREEL VALLEY
From on high in Megiddo
The silent Plain of Esdraelon, contemplating I was
I could not help but think
Of Jezreel Valley of old
Battlefield of so many Armageddons
And yet, of the great one
To come
67

47- THE ARRIVAL
I have suffered a thousand deaths
From each one I did return
With a new, but smaller I
Weaving through the eye of a needle
Full of ashes, full of scars
The battle is not over until it is over
Cries a still small voice within
The fight must go on
The dead be forgotten
For the war between good and evil
Will never cease
Till that dreadful day
Announcing
The arrival of the Begotten
Only then will we be able to rest
Find peace
Bliss
68

48- PAINFUL MEMORIES
When painful memories return to haunt you
Be brave! Just deal with them as you should
They return for a purpose, no less
Full repentance, the noblest pursuit
Without memories we could never go back
To encounters, events we came to regret
Only memories can provide us with a passage
To make amends with the ones who has passed
Thus, when painful memories permeate your dreams
Do not panic, stay calm, take a deep breath
Rest assured their only purpose is to succor
To lift the burden, cleanse the past
69

49- RECIPROCITY
As in the old school,
A life for a life,
A tooth for a tooth,
A hand for a hand,
A foot for a foot
If that still stood
Should we then tell
A lie for a lie
A truth for a truth?
We could rationalize
As much as we would
Oh, but that should not help,
Cries a voice in the wood
70

50- LOVE
To Elisa (Yu-Hsia)
Love is not a feeling or a thought
It is not just mere words but deeds
Love is what we say when we give
Proof that we love them indeed
And most important,
May they believe
71

51- A GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN
To Wen Ping Lin
Only for a brief moment once I died
Galaxies I travelled and heaven sighted
Not sure if for deeds, or by mistake
Suffice to say, somehow I made it
Heaven is painted in indescribable hue
Shades of white, glorious and pure
Peace abounds, life eternal is
Fraternal is love, a sigh of bliss
Songs are sung with tones unheard,
Without moving their lips they talk
Graciously they go, floating as birds
Long ago the earth they walked
Heaven is not hot, nor is it cold
But warm His embrace that touched so deep
As long ago a prophet foretold
If life is a dream, who needs to sleep?
These are the memories I never forgot
From the day I briefly died
Once a glimpse of heaven I caught
Today only hope with me abides
72

52- THE ROCK
Without a purpose the earth I walked
When I stumbled upon a curious rock
I put it in my pocket and went my way
Seeking no more than enjoying the day
When the evening fell and to home I returned
I pulled out the rock, but my hand it burned
Frightened, I placed it on the table and gazed
The rock could speak, I was simply amazed
With a soft voice, it spoke and said:
“I am not ordinary and much truth I carry
Some will listen, some will throw me away
The turn is yours to choose the play”
“In his or her lifetime, each one will stumble upon me
And hear the truth I have to say
Some will laugh, some will cry
Some will keep me until they die”
“What will you do?” The rock asked me
“Will you keep me or will put me aside?
It is now your turn, but only you can decide
Whether to find the purpose of life”
And now that I am old and my teeth are falling
I think upon the decision I made
I kept the rock, and much truth I learned
And I feel safe to home return
73

53- TOLLING BELL
Life is not about heaven and hell
More perhaps about a tolling bell
It tolls when we are born, it tolls when we die
The tolling reminds us of who we are
When one day, I faintly hear the final bell
I hope won't be sorry for mistakes I made
Instead, I hope to look way back and tell
That I am proud of whom I became
74

75

About the Author
Glauco Ortolano was born in Americana, Brazil to
Italian-Brazilian parents. He immigrated in 1978 to the United
States, where he attended Brigham Young University and the
University of Texas at Austin. He led a successful teaching
career that includes posts at the University of Pennsylvania,
University of Oklahoma, University of Puerto Rico, Arkansas
State University, and University of Jamestown. His gusto for
adventure and exploration led him to take other short-term
teaching positions in France, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and
Taiwan.
He co-founded the Iberian-American Writer's
Association, the Utah Translators and Interpreter's
Association, and was a member of the Union of Brazilian
Writers of New York. He also served as Contributing Editor for
the literary magazine World Literature Today. He has
published two books of poetry, two of short fiction, and one
novel.
He currently resides in Merritt Island, Florida, with his
wife Yu-Hsia (Elisa) Chen and their cat, Formosa. He has six
children and three grandchildren.
76

77

"Of the fifty-three poems that this collection exhibits, there is
not a single one that does not show substantial relevance, a
deep personal engagement, and a solid philosophical basis. .
The poet, Glauco Ortolano, in a loose metrical pattern, with a
combination of various types of short stanzas, and without the
burden of multiple rhymes, interjects into his verses the wisdom
of a mind dedicated to capture the reader's attention on highly
engaged social and personal thoughts, all enveloped in
perennial principles. The titles themselves indicate that the
content of this lyrical collection intend to conceptualize what
in this life is 'Temporary', versus what is 'Eternal', what is
'Appearance' versus what is true 'Reality'." .
Dr. Adriano Moz, Professor Emeritus
of Italian Literature
"Ortolano's poems, at their most creative core, reinforce the
truths that are all around us, but most of us prefer not to see.
He writes about self, understanding,acceptance, insight and
realization, things that are universal truths covered up by our
lies and our lives. Only believe, he assures us, and we will see
the truth for what it really is." .
Dr. Bryan Oliver Peppin, Professor,
former Head of the Department of English,
New College, Chennai, and author.
ISBN 978-85-68446-00-3
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