Winding the Clock Again and Summer in Italy

Winding the Clock Again and Summer in Italy by Jerry Ball. Privately published, 1996, 36 and 44 pages each, paperback, 5½ by 8½ inches. $3.50 postpaid each or $6.00 postpaid for both, from the author at 1710 Interlachen #40C, Seal Beach, California 90740 [address no longer correct]. These two books from Jerry Ball collect poems written while traveling in the summer of 1996. The first book resulted from visits to Italy, Germany, Austria, and Slovenia, and the second book’s poems were written in Italy. All poems are arranged according to the scheme suggested by the Buddha’s eightfold path: “Right View,” “Right Resolve,” “Right Speech,” and so on. Here are the concluding poems from each book:

     ending of summer

unable to say good-bye

 her eyes fill with tears

           outdoor theater

then slowly, slowly, sundown

  and the swallows are gone