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    A Pale Shade of Blue: A Collection of Poetry
    A Pale Shade of Blue: A Collection of Poetry
    A Pale Shade of Blue: A Collection of Poetry
    Ebook200 pages1 hour

    A Pale Shade of Blue: A Collection of Poetry

    By Tommy Melis

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    About this ebook

    In this revised edition of his poetry collection, A Pale Shade of Blue, Tommy Melis explores topics ranging from feminism and equality to religious oppression and existential freedom. For this revision, he has added new poems written between 2011 and 2012 and included previously unreleased poetry written between 1999 and 2008, representing his earliest work. Like most Cuban Americans, he grew up in a family that celebrated their rich cultural history as both Cuban exiles and first-generation Americans.

    The characters represented in his poems have overcome mental illness and found healing in identifying common societal themes between the blurred lines of justice and freedom. Having to find their way to the light, they speak out of the darkness they have seen, and their relentless emotional trappings they each seek to be free from. The stories are of perseverance and often speak of things normally swept under rugs. The poems in this collection are divided into five distinct books: Book One: The Tree Growing represents rebirth and belief; Book Two: Stems considers embracing and releasing the darkness; Book Three: Branches speaks to oppression and cultural moldings; Book Four: Fire covers lessons learned; and Book Five: Roots looks at the connection between the poet and his reader.

    A Pale Shade of Blue     opens up the world of a vibrant culture and the emotions associated with overcoming personal challenges for all to consider.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisheriUniverse
    Release dateFeb 10, 2014
    ISBN9781491704059
    A Pale Shade of Blue: A Collection of Poetry
    Author

    Tommy Melis

    Tommy Melis currently attends Florida International University and is finishing a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies, and enjoys doing photography. He is a first-generation American-born Cuban American poet. His family originally left Cuba as political exiles between the years of 1959 and 1961. He lives in South Florida.

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      Book preview

      A Pale Shade of Blue - Tommy Melis

      Copyright © 2004, 2014 Tommy Melis.

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

      iUniverse books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

      iUniverse LLC

      1663 Liberty Drive

      Bloomington, IN 47403

      www.iuniverse.com

      1-800-Authors (1-800-288-4677)

      Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

      Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

      Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

      ISBN: 978-1-4917-0404-2 (sc)

      ISBN: 978-1-4917-0406-6 (hc)

      ISBN: 978-1-4917-0405-9 (e)

      Library of Congress Control Number: 2013918792

      iUniverse rev. date: 01/31/2014

      Contents

      Book One

      A Thin Line

      I’m Still Free

      In Heavens Picture Show

      Light Chaser

      She Is

      This Place

      Be Peace

      Spirituality

      One

      Waiting

      Spring Bring Forth

      What Now Am I?

      The Goddess

      Diana

      I Know Not

      Earth Mother

      She Bleeds

      I Know Not

      Witch And The Coven I Pray

      A Prayer To Jupiter

      Hecate

      Candle Prayer To The Lord And

      Lady And Eternal Spirit

      Candles In The Daylight

      Untitled #7

      Sleeping Prayer

      Prayer For Protection

      House Blessing Prayer

      Untitled #8

      Occhun

      Untitled #9

      Disorientation

      Take Breath

      Advice

      As I Close My Eyes

      Sailing

      The Ocean And Time

      Tide

      Awake

      The Witch’s Brew

      Little Pumpkin

      Grandmother

      Letter To David

      Torch

      Book Two

      Black & White ?

      Grandmother Free Your Ghost

      If I Could Only Say… .

      Koo Koo

      Letter To My Son

      Like Venus On A Cloudy Day

      Plastic Cage Girl

      The Window Pain

      In My Head

      Spirit

      H20

      Stripped

      Dew

      Take Me Away

      Crawling

      Untouchable Light

      Grow

      Waiting

      The Spirit Of My Lethargic

      Depression And Session

      Depression

      My Deepest Darkest Mind

      Half A Bottle Later

      Haunting

      Book Three

      Enlarging A Photograph

      Bitten Apple

      My Sins

      Bread & Wine

      Her Story

      His Story

      No More Circles

      The Story Of An American Woman

      Conformity

      War

      Mite Tongue

      Masking

      No Place Like Home

      Contradiction

      Chess Puzzle

      Missed

      Pushing In The Directions

      Faith

      Nail

      Liberation

      Pink

      Book Four

      Sad

      Separation

      To Put Up With A Man

      Fear And Patience

      Venus Love

      Angel Of Bliss

      The Ideal Love That Will Work

      What Can I Do?

      Eyes

      Gold Digger

      Beware

      Sweet And Sour

      The Taming Of The Bum

      Rob

      The Lies

      Loved Dipped In Red

      Heaven’s Kiss

      The Middle

      Destiny

      Stale Taste Of Their Lips

      Secreto

      Dark Prince

      Freedom Fighting

      Don’t Bring Me Any Flowers

      Candy Apple Covered Glass

      The Promise

      Bridgetina

      White Light

      Learning To Give

      A Song About You… Yeah, You

      This Angry Ghost I Met Said

      The Lies

      Hurt

      Book Five

      Late Night Writer

      Umbrellas Clashing

      Would It Be Nice?

      Laughter

      What About You?

      My Blood

      Every Day Is A War

      One Day

      The Hunter

      My Room

      Letter To My Son

      Dedication

      Thank you to my Mom & Dad: Raysa & Jose Lopez-Melis; who always supported me throughout my creative journey. As young as I can remember, they both greatly invested in my appreciation for the arts. From plays to photography, and now a book they have stood by me: Having become the foundation I needed in life to pursue a career in the arts. Both have given me the opportunity for the time & solidarity I required to finish writing this book. I began developing it in 2005, (and in actuality began writing it without knowing it as far back as 1999. Words could never express my gratitude for the chance to express myself freely, and knowing you believed in me with both your love and support.

      To my brother and sister: Marko & Ana Sagaro,

      Both of you have been there for me even in my most difficult time, when I couldn’t be there for myself. More than brother and sister, instead you’ve been the guardians of my heart; together we form a rock.

      My dearest friends,

      Franco Montero, and Iris Gonzalez, without their editorial help this book would still be a work in progress. Or, what I like to refer to as the existential nothingness leading to matter. I’m forever grateful for all of your help with my editing process throughout this publication, and for the friendship you each brought in my life.

      My family and friends,

      Hopefully all of you already know me to be an eccentric, neurotic writer who loves to cook pasta at one am and invite everyone over for a martini party now and again. Modeling for my photo shoots, reading my work, and coming to see me at readings; all of you have been a part of my creative writing without even knowing it. It’s our conversations late at night that keep me guessing, and questioning all of your thoughts: Leaving me to journey through the common wave we all ride, thrive, and fall from, there I discover the stories outside me.

      A special thank you to :

      Robert Mursulli, Teresa Chacon, Dagmar Gomez, Barbra Alvarez, Matilde Munoz, Maria Fernandez, Marilyn Horgan, Mari Reibero, Arlene Ranzola, Nereida Gonzalez, Onelia Rangel, Maria Diaz, Juan Lopez, Cabalan y Glora Camara de Macari, Raquel Gonzalez, Mercedes Rubi, Armando Rubi III, Dr. Andrew Lynch, Massiel Loo, and Amparo whom I all love and treasure in my hearts dearly.

      Finally to my professors, teachers, and mentors,

      Charles Hashim, Ana Roca, Josune Urbistondo, and Alfred Soto: Your guidance, critique, advice, teaching, and words of encouragement were invaluable in my life. I’m the first in my family to make an attempt at publishing a creative work of poetry literature. Also, I’m the only one in my family pursuing a career in the arts. The four of you saw something in my talent that made me believe, and with great tenacity, that it was worth developing and learning more about. I probably would have never thought of actually seeking graduate school for it had not been for your ray of light and scholarly inspiration. Thank you.

      Book One: The Tree Growing

      Rebirth and belief

      The tree that lives in Earth is lit by fire, and finds its peace and solace in water; while her breath gives way to air. This is the space to breath. Rebirth comes from cleansing, and words unclean become redeemable

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