AUTHOR'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

NEVER HAVE I BEEN BEHOLDEN TO ANYONE FOR HELPING ME
to achieve a task I could not do on my own untill I met Nick Nixon.
Our meeting came about by chance and thereafter it took only a lunch date
for us to agree to join together for the creation of a book
from over five thousand poems I have written.

He had previously read some of them and he told me
he thought my expressions were worthy of such a project,
meaningful and valuable, and above all readily understandable.
The last, he said, was a quality that was hard to find in the current flow
of poetry published in even popular magazines.
Once having agreed,
we arranged to come together at least one day a week.
From the start he gave of his time and himself in such full measure
as if he were being paid to do it.
In fact, he did it solely as a labor of love.
How well did we work together and synchronize
our efforts towards the end goal!

In the first instance it required Nick to read all that I had written.
Then, the selection came. Oh how difficult that could have been,
but not so working with Nick. He always had a love for literature
and the written word and his background as an engineer helped to organize
the work and keep it under control.

Editing the poems together not only satisfied the need to do it,
but proved a pleasure for me in how he put forth his suggestions,
and realizing how appropriate they were!
Nick made it happen and no matter what results from the book
and its reception by readers,
I will always be grateful for the special friendship that developed between us.

As with all books, inputs are made by others for typesetting and design.
With respect to the former, extraordinary cooperation came from
Robert A. Julia Sr, of Darnestown, MD. For the latter, it was Mauro Kunst, of
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and his special sensitivity and creativity.
I am beholden to both of them for their parts in bring the book to fruition.

ALBERT KRASSNER