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Sunday, July 02, 2017

The Sunday Poet: Joseph A. Cohen

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Joseph A. Cohen is 100 years old this month and he is still writing. His latest book of poetry is " The New Path" ( Ibbetson Street Press).  Nina MacLauglin of the Boston Globe wrote of Cohen's new book, " " The clarity and lyricism of " A New Path" belies Cohen's advanced age.



MY FIRST VOYAGE

I remember when I first set sail.
It was raining and the icy wind
tore through my clothes.
Bleak was the mood, a frigid
gray cast hung over the scene.

Ships that sail in the dawn
moved out of port while
anti-aircraft balloons swayed in the wind.
Escort planes circled protectively while
a grim fleet of destroyers tended
to this convoy of fifty troop ships.

Wonderment and fear of the unknown
gave way to “hitting the rail” as we gave
back our breakfasts. We ploughed
through rough waters in the open seas
as I sat back to suffer a journey
of eighteen seasick days to Casablanca,
thus beginning my three-year stint overseas
fighting the “good war” - World War II.

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