I would like to thank Author’s Lounge for acknowledging my work, “MISSING SUE.”
This collection of poems for my late wife, Susan Hart, is both a loving dedication to her memory and the hardest words I have ever put to paper. Losing the love of your life after fifty years of companionship and inspiration is truly unbearable.
For the most part readers of poetry are poets themselves and in that regard I was fortunate to have four esteemed poets speak for me in their thoughts of “Missing Sue,” and I will use some of their words to help describe this work for the Author’s Lounge readers.
In “MISSING SUE”…
…“Hart is unflinching, pulls no punches as he tries to understand what he feels in his mind, his heart and his body over a loss that is unbearable. The pain is as honest as you get in literature.” Poet Tim Suermondt.
… “Jim feels with each word the echo of memories. He will remind you how fragile life is, and how wonderful love is…Jim lays it out in beautiful style and imagery, metaphor and meter, from Jim Hart’s heart to yours.” Poet Susan Joyner-Stumpf
… “Jim Hart’s collection of poems about life after his wife of nearly 50 years passed away is haunting and beautiful. He captures and describes empty loneliness with images that put the reader right there with him. … Jim’s words put deep grief into a tangible container. I highly recommend this book and have a hanky at the ready. Poet Debora Chappell
… “This is a never-ending love song. A beautiful waltz through memories and magic. A love story we all aspire to. Jim Hart is a truly gifted poet and writer. Read him – then read him some more.” Poet Ann Carruth Donoghue
I believe that the words of these fine poets fully relay what I hope all readers will take away from, “Missing Sue,” and that they have captured the essence of my emotions and observations of a lifetime of love and affection.
My future plans for “Missing Sue,” as well as its companion collection, “Loving Sue,” is to sell as many copies as possible – No – not for monetary value – but rather that as many people as possible get to know and love Sue – not as I did – but in their own way – as I am sure they will.
I was raised in Brooklyn where I still reside. I embarked upon my working life as a drummer in rock and blues bands before beginning a thirty-year career in the New York City Sanitation Department. During which time I worked my way through the ranks to serve in such positions as the Deputy Director of Public Affairs and Director of Correspondence for the Sanitation Police. I retired from the Department to pursue my love for writing.
I have published five Poetry Collections: “Ramblings Of A One-Eyed Garbage Man,” “A Handful Of Smoke,” “Just Another Friday Night In Brooklyn,” “Loving Sue” and “Missing Sue.” My poems have been published worldwide in over 70 journals and reviews. And my work has appeared in the United States, Ireland, England, Austria, India, Scotland, Wales, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, South Africa and on the Web. One of my poems has been made into a poster by Phantom Billstickers and appeared in Myanmar and in Thailand.
I have been the featured poet at Barnes & Noble, The Brooklyn Public Library, BookMark Bards, Boulevard Bards, The Green Pavilion, The Inspired Word Poetry Series and I was the Inaugural Poet for the Gerald A Doering Foundation held at the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum. I have also read my poetry in Dublin, Ireland. In addition I co-wrote two songs for the 2015 Peter Stevens Band recording “Change My World.”
Along with my poetry collections I have published three noir detective novels in the Harry Parker Mystery Series “A Tom Collins To Go,” “The Aviation Cocktail,” and “Bloody Mary.” All set in 1947 Brooklyn, New York. “A Tom Collins To Go” was the winner of The Poison Cup Award from Crime Masters of America and a Finalist of the Golden Book Award. All three novels received favorable comparisons to Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett.
I am a member of The Private Eye Writers of America and ASCAP.
