JUST IN PASSING by Joseph Roccasalvo showcases a striking talent for the formal style in poetry. The collection is masterful for employing rhyme, meter, and the wordplay of puns and paradox.
In the celebration of the highs and lows of romance and abiding friendship, the poems are subtle and emotional, complex but always comprehensible. They share the gift for point and counterpoint in their musical precision. The playful wit, conspicuous in the poems about friendship, captivates the astute reader.
JUST IN PASSING will inspire those who have a zest for the poetic craftsmanship of rhyme and meter.
Would I dare to critique your new collection of poems, Just In Passing? Not even a word or line as I have sometimes done in the past. These poems are inevitable in language and meaning, and I toy with reading one a day at breakfast. I find myself holding on to the book to help me smile at my own eighty years and beyond. “On Guile” strikes a scary note, but many are fundamentally about personal friendship. I love the way it’s explored since I have friends I sometimes find it hard to connect with. Now I can give them a JR poem like “Friday in September” or “Resonance.” I will have them at table to enjoy for a long time.
Jane Merrill