Joseph Spence advises us to "touch the Buddha" inside us, "Follow the Dharma," "bring to light true love," "bury the drums of warfare." T. S. Eliot also in his The Waste Land (1922) reveals the impact of Buddhism: "Datta, dayadhvam, damyata" (Give, sympathise, control). "Dantescan light" prevails around Joseph's luminous and visionary book celebrating Buddhist enlightenment. Joseph Spence has created a convincing Haiku world in which our search for moral pivot can take place. His haikus are a testimony to the fact that as a haiku poet his place is secure and permanent by virtue of his message, delicacy, a crystalline charm, and his dignified utterance.

The book becomes more attractive with the inclusion of poems about soup and food. Lewis Carroll's apt words "Who for such dainties would not stoop?" ("The Mock Turtle's Song") are truly applicable to these soup poems, enough to cheer up the people when they are feeling down. Joseph is the inventor of the Epulaeryu poetic form which is about succulent dishes, drinks and various cuisine. The Awakened One Poetics is divided into Section One, Beautiful Smiles from Japan, Poland and China; Section Two, Enchanting Smiles in Japanese, Spanish, Polish & Chinese; Section Three, Captivating Smiles from Egypt, Poland and China; Section Four, Elevating Smiles in French, Polish & Chinese and Section Five, Radiant Smiles in Jamaikan Patwa, Polish and Spanish.

It is a multilingual book with Chinese, French, Polish, Spanish, Japanese, Arabic and Jamiekan Patwa translations. Cross-cultural cosmopolitanism inspires Joseph Spence, and here he is different from Voltaire and Goethe. "Even Voltaire's and Goethe's concepts of littérature universelle and Weltliteratur were basically monolingual and linked to linguistic patriotism and imperialism" (Literary Multilingualism i: General Outlines and Western World - K. Alfons Knauth). The Awakened One Poetics by Joseph S. Spence, Sr. is a magnificent book, sure in its handling, and restrained in its expression of passion. Available from Amazon & Cyberwit.net

Music of the Twentieth Century

By Poets World-Wide, Marithal Wandigar (USA), Joseph Spence, Sr.( USA), Dr Santosh Kumar (India), Ban’ya Natsuishi (Japan), Patricia Farnsworth-Simpson (UK), Christina Jussumine (USA), Mary Ann Duhart (USA), et al.

This wonderful poetic anthology written by inspiring poets worldwide is dedicated to raise needed revenue to support the earthquake victims in Haiti. It is a gracious tribute on behalf of talented poets and poetess demonstrating love for the welfare of others. They have willingly given their time and talent to make this day possible for the people of Haiti who are suffering and are in drastic need of help. It consists of poetry about music and musicians from the 20th century. They have inspired us and have rocked our souls. Within its golden pages you will find names and lyrics from the world of classical, rock, popular, soul, gospel, folk, and other genre of music. Some of you will probably find the names of artists and musicians which you grew up with. Many of these individuals are still rocking the world with their musical lyrics, and are still producing chart topping hits.

Music as an art form, will stir the emotion and the brutal passion of any revolution to an elegant and gentle state of love. It has set the birds to flight in unison, dolphins to dive in a spectacular fashion, and lovers to walk down the aisle in rhapsody. Hopefully, it will spark your heart to dig within and support the earthquake victims of Haiti by purchasing a copy for yourself and passing the great news to a wonderful friend to also purchase a copy. Your support is greatly needed in this “Mission of Mercy” to save humankind in need of help. Thanks for your support, enjoy the book, and please post a review! (More)