Far As The Curse Is Found

Far As the Curse Is Found: Poems In Six Places

In this memoir of his early life in suburban New Jersey, Charles Wasilewski explores what he heard, said and thought as a young man entering college, relationships, adulthood and fatherhood. Topics range from a newborn's heartbeat to sand on the Jersey Shore to an early-morning visit to Wal-Mart.

Far As The Curse Is Found is a book of poetry in a brief, direct style (few lines of these poems are longer than 10 words). The author explains the title: "'Far As The Curse Is Found is taken from the lyrics of the Christmas carol "Joy to the World" and is a tribute to my parents. My Mom gave me a love of music, although without musical talent to match. Because of my Mom, I grew up loving Christmas carols.

"The word "curse" has to do with my Dad. When I was a boy of 10 or 11, I cursed at a kid in my neighborhood. (He deserved it, but that's beside the point.) This kid threatened to tell my Dad. Sucker that I was, I believed him.... So I beat the kid to it: I went home and confessed. I remember my Dad that moment, working in the family room in his green swivel chair. He sat me down on the couch and told me that cursing is wrong if done wastefully. He said there is power in words, even curse words, and I should learn how to use them, and use them carefully. I was relieved that day that I wasn't punished. But as years went on, the lesson he gave me that day never left me. "This book is about my love for words and what they mean to me when I put them together." -- Charles Wasilewski