John Louis Cimasi spent his childhood on a farm on the outskirts of the small village of Portland, in western New York State. He grew up to become a successful businessman and entrepreneur.
Some of the poems in his new collection, Verses from a Life, reflect this success story. Other touch upon deeply personal moments or musings.
Cimasi has been writing poetry for more than six decades. He plays and experiments with a variety of poetic styles, visual forms, and metrical patterns. His range shows a number of eclectic inspirations.
Cimasi recounts his first encounter with his wife in "Meeting Deborah." Poems like "Justice, Betrayal" and "Love Eternal" explore their subjects with passion and daring. Cimasi weaves in classical and mythological references as well. A poem dedicated to a spider becomes "Pity Poor Arachne." Other poems tackle different religious traditions and the largest questions we face in life.
Cimasi is an avid music lover, and he includes several odes to various composers and pieces. His passion for music comes out in the musicality of his work. Readers are encouraged to read aloud to experience the full effect of the poems.
About the Author: John Louis Cimasi was born into a family of eight in a small village in western New York State. He graduated from SUNY at Buffalo with a bachelor's degree in psychology and philosophy. He received a master's degree in information technology from Regis University in Colorado.
Cimasi spent four years in the US Air Force Security Service as a Chinese linguist. He returned to the United States to start several businesses.
One such business, Melic and Mime Theatrical Productions Incorporated, performed at twelve theaters in Buffalo and other cities. Cimasi produced original scores for the company and cowrote four musical farces.
Cimasi also wrote Disaster Recover and Continuity of Business and Vignettes from a Life.
He retired from serving as senior VP at the Citibank Operations Center in Amherst, New York. He and his wife, Deborah Wollschlager, live in Amherst, New York, and Bradenton, Florida.
