In Here and Now, There and Then, John Darretta's linguistic abilities are forefront. His poetry brings the flow of nature and passing of the liturgical year to a picturesque life. In "All Things" the threefold aspects of all life capture our reflection. "Gentle Breeze of Spirit" invites our reflection on the mysterious Trinity as it comes to life. John's poetry is a journey worth taking as "Litany of Life" reminds us.
-Reverend George C. Bellenoit, Fall River Diocese, MA
Since Psalms of King David and ancient prophets who prophesied in verse-continuing with Milton and Donne-poets have sought to express the ethereal qualities of faith in verse. In this collection, John Darretta follows in that grand tradition. Whether the poem concerns an episode from the Five Books of Moses ("An Exodus") or New Testament ("Modern Magdalene" or "The Manger"), matters of faith percolate through. Some poems are independent of Testaments (Old & New)-as in "A Bird in the Rafters" or "Mourning Dove"-until one reads between the lines and savors the biblical metaphors and imagery ("lamb at the cradle"; "shepherd who pipes a sweet song"). This is not to suggest that one must belong to a certain faith to appreciate the poems herein. One needs only an appreciation for the inexplicable and appetite for the miraculous, lovingly and beautifully expressed.
-Neil Silberblatt, Founder and Director, Voices of Poetry; nominee for Massachusetts Book of the Year in Poetry
John Lawrence Darretta was my English professor. Decades later, I vividly recall how smart and sassy (think charming) he was-just two reasons Darretta was beloved by his students. Yet I had no idea the depth and breadth of Darretta's command of the written word. His poems do more than make him instantly recognizable as a true poet. Here is a genuine sense of style, where brevity marries bravura. Darretta's ear for cadence reaches out and touches the reader in a real sense of lyrical style.
-Alan W. Petrucelli, author of Morbid Curiosity: The Disturbing Demises of the Famous and Infamous, former entertainment reporter for CBS Radio Network
