Some months back, I received a book, “Drifting,” and a CD from Marco Fraticelli, a Canadian musician and poet whose work has appeared on The Daily Haiku. He published the book in 2013.
I quote his letter below:
Hi, Charlotte
Here is the book I promised to send. I am also sending a film that my sister made about the whole experience.
Back in the 1970s, a box came into my possession. Among the things it contained from the turn of the last century were seven diaries. These are the basics of “Drifting.”
The diary entries are unchanged by me. Those are Celesta’s actual words. The haiku, are course, are mine. I tried to write the haiku that Celesta might have (written) at the end of each day.
I suggest that you watch the documentary (it’s only 45 minutes) before reading the book.
Hope you enjoy meeting Celesta!
Marco
After watching the film documentary, “Celesta Found,” created by Rina Fraticelli, Marco’s sister, the motivation for Marco’s book became clear. Marco had been walking one day in the woods in Quebec when he discovered an abandoned cabin with an attic that contained a box of letters and diaries. Some letters were in good shape, but others were just scraps of paper.
For Marco, and his sister, who would later read the diaries and letters, they were intriguing, a glimpse into a world of a common person, Celesta Oakley Taylor who lived from 1860-1937. She worked as a housekeeper and at other odd jobs, keeping records of her innermost feelings, including her unrequited love for her male cousin whom she worked for. She wrote the diaries from 1905 to 1917.
The haiku, at the end of each prose excerpt in the book, is written by Marco.
For Marco and Rina, they had found a treasure in her writings–an intriguing connection and fascination with a common person who lived in a different era in rural Canada. She wrote of growing vegetables, baking bread, doing laundry, working in the shed– a myriad of chores.
Since my readers and followers are interested in haiku, I have reprinted some of the haiku from “Drifting” that Marco has written at the end of Celesta’s daily prose. The haiku are exquisite:
after the argument
pieces of myself
in the broken mirror
————————
this coldest day
I dust
the dried flower arrangement
————————-
in the evergreen
an empty nest
filling with dead leaves
——————————-
your name
scraped in the window frost
my fingertip . . . so cold
——————————
shy girl
watching
the cocoon
——————————
hanging
in its own web
the dead spider
——————————
In addition to the writing in the diary collection and the haiku, the book is produced attractively. Its cover with Celesta’s handwriting is artful, and the layout of each of the book’s pages is reader-friendly. Old photographs are included. A First-Class production!
Marco can be reached through Kings Road Press of which he is the publisher. Email:
marco@kingsroadpress.com
Copyright 2016 by Charlotte Digregorio.
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About Charlotte Digregorio
I publish books. I have marketed and/or published 55 titles. These books are sold in 46 countries to bookstores, libraries, universities, professional organizations, government agencies, and book clubs. I am also the author of five non-fiction books: Haiku and Senryu: A Simple Guide for All; Everything You Need to Know About Nursing Homes; You Can Be A Columnist; Beginners' Guide to Writing & Selling Quality Features; and Your Original Personal Ad.
The first four books have been adopted as supplemental texts at universities throughout the U.S., Canada, India, Pakistan, and Catalonia. They are sold in 43 countries, and are displayed in major metropolitan cultural centers. These books have been reviewed, recommended, and praised by hundreds of critics, librarians, and professors worldwide.
I am also the author of a poetry collection: "Shadows of Seasons: Selected Haiku and Senryu." Two of my books have been Featured Selections of Writer's Digest Book Club. I am regularly interviewed by major print, radio, and television organizations throughout the U.S. I have signed books at libraries, chain bookstores, and university bookstores.
I was recently nominated for a Pushcart Prize in poetry. I have won thirty-three poetry awards. I have been nominated and listed in "The International Authors and Writers Who's Who" in Cambridge, England and in the "Who's Who In Writers, Editors & Poets U.S./Canada." I am an internationally-published haiku, senryu, tanka, kyoka, haibun, free verse, acrostic, cinquain, etheree, and sestina poet. My poetry has been translated into six languages, and I have done poetry readings at a variety of bookstores, libraries, art centers, cafes, tea houses, and galleries. My poetry has been displayed at supermarkets, art galleries, libraries, apparel and wine shops, banks, botanic gardens, restaurants, and on public transit. I've been interviewed on cable television about my poetry. I also hosted my own radio program, "Poetry Beat," on public broadcasting. My poetry has been featured on several library web sites including those of Shreve Memorial Library in Louisiana and Cornell University's Mann Library.
My background includes positions as a feature editor and columnist at daily newspapers and as a magazine editor. I have been a public relations director for a non-profit organization. I was also self-employed as a communications/public relations/marketing consultant with 111 clients in 16 states.
In other professional areas, I have been on university faculties, teaching French, Italian, and Writing.
I regularly give special lectures and workshops on publishing, journalism, publicity, poetry, and creativity to business and professional groups, and to those at writer's conferences, universities, literary festivals, non-profit organizations, and to libraries. I have been a writer-in-residence at universities.
There have been about 400 articles written about me in the media. I have served on the Boards of writers and publishers organizations. My positions have included Board Secretary of the Northwest Association of Book Publishers. I served for five years as Midwest Regional Coordinator of The Haiku Society of America. Currently, I am Second Vice President of the Haiku Society.
This is marvellous
Thank you, Chris. The project is intriguing.
brilliant. what a great resource find. I cannot image Celesta being more pleased had she known what her words would inspire. I believe this is at the core of creative endeavors—that what we leave after our passing will have value to others who come across what we have done, regardless of recognition in our own lifetime—even when we show what we have done to no other person in our lifetime. otherwise we would destroy it before we die. true this could happen by chance, yet in that case the last thought of the created work was that it still held value to the creator such that it was worth not destroying. this kind of connection to humanity fascinates me. it may be why I’ve saved so many letters and was given a very small diary by a young girl who came west by wagon train. another project, no several projects, to add to my list. exciting. fun and congratulations to Marco and Rina. and thank you Charlotte.
Thanks for sharing your views, Rick. I agree with them. And, this proves that there is the possibility of creativity in everything for a writer.
I agree with that exactly. multiple stories/words/poetry/prose within and around all things, thoughts, senses and experiences.
What a fascinating project. I love the haiku.
Hope you read more of Marco’s poems! Thanks, Mary.