When I was in my teens, I was fascinated by the poetry of Dante Alighieri: La Divina Commedia (the Divine Comedy), which is part of the middle school curriculum in Italy where I grew up. Virgil guides Dante on a remarkable voyage through middle age and self-discovery visiting the Inferno, the Purgatorio, and the Paradiso. Virgil is the poet of ancient Rome, who acts more like a therapist of psychology toward his pupil, Dante.

During middle school, I wrote my first poems, and continued doing so until now. On July 4^th 2006, a small fall from a ladder caused a major injury to my left arm which was severed at the elbow. I was in the hospital for three weeks wondering if I was going to lose my arm if infections followed the ten hours surgery I had.

While I was recovering, a force came over me.  I started to write poems under a consuming obsession: sometimes several poems a day, sometimes one or two a week.  Calliope, the muse of epic poetry, and Erato, the muse of erotic poetry were playing me like a musical instrument. My past, present and future were constantly before my eyes as I was recording events into poetry:  happiness, dramas, adventures, misadventures, and special events in my life.  I recorded my feelings and my observations of the human heart, mind and soul into poems. I formatted twelve chapters out of a hundred and ten poems.  Each chapter has an unique romantic or uplifting theme linking the poems into an entertaining story.  For instance:

* A college romance where the hottest girl denies dates to all the guys who ask her, and finally gives in to a poet and student who writes romantic, sensitive and moving poems just for  her (the chapter - Living the Love)

* Two men losing their heads over an exotic dancer: King Herod, John the Baptist and the alluring Salome: (Arts of Seduction)

* Missing Italy where I come from (Exploring the Past)

* Medieval setting of heart-breaking romances: King Arthur, Sir Lancelot, and Genevieve (Tormented Ecstasy)

* Meeting, dating, and marrying my wife, and the joys of parenting (Home Joys)

The thrills of writing it all down, and  the excitement of drafting and re-drafting lead me to the joy of finding a publisher, to the magic of publication, to mingling with other poets and writers, to do book signings and book readings. The pocketful of dreams I had when I came to the States continues to unravel into more achievements: Hooked on You was born, published and is being sold. 

I am thankful to God, to my wife and kids, to my wonderful readers and fans, and to the Land of the Brave I am proud to call my home.