Genre: Literary poetry collection; sub‑genres include formal verse, hybrid prose poems, centos, haibun, Golden Shovel forms.
Themes: memory and illusion; family heritage; loss and transformation; identity; Italian‑American childhood and intergenerational ties; grief; reclamation of self through darkness and spiritual metaphor.
Review: A Quiet Mastery of Night, Memory, and Becoming
Opening the Curtains on Darkness
Have you ever felt that night itself could teach something about becoming? From the opening poem—where an owl’s call becomes an unexpected invitation into darkness—the collection poses a question: can the night, with its associative hush, become both sanctuary and teacher? Our minds are wired to remember highly charged events: neuroscience shows that emotional arousal increases memory consolidation. LoSchiavo’s poems function much like that—they crystallize memory with visceral detail.
Family as Myth and Memory
In vivid scenes of childhood innocence colliding with adult grief, she writes of witnessing sudden death, a grandfather’s illness, and parental absences. These moments read as mythic origin stories, forging identity. They resonate not because of sensationalism, but because they echo the universal: early loss shapes how we perceive the world. Here, personal memoir becomes poetic law: we all carry fragments of stories we didn’t fully understand as children.
Crafting Through Form
What sets this work apart is the technical range: sonnets, centos, haibun, and intricate forms like Golden Shovels sharpen memory into art. Each shape reinforces content—for instance, tightly controlled ten‑syllable lines convey childhood constraint, while prose hybrids open into associative free‑fall. The craft is precise, yet never rigid.
Night as Alchemical Space
Night in this book is not merely absence of light—it is presence of possibility. It becomes a space to “reverse terrors,” to walk beyond trauma, to “outwalk pain.” In doing so, the poems map a trajectory: innocence fractured, grief endured, and ultimately, transformation through acceptance. It echoes Jungian psychological insight: shadow work involves encountering hidden selves to emerge integrated.
Who Will Find This Book Resonant—and Who Might Not
This book will speak to readers drawn to introspective, emotionally sophisticated poetry—especially those who can lean into melancholy without seeking resolution. It offers insight into immigrant and intergenerational experience, classical poetic forms, and the alchemy of memory.
It is not for readers who prefer plot‑driven narratives, light emotional fare, or uplifting simplicity. It is also not intended for young children—its reflections demand maturity and reflective attention.
Content Warning
Contains poetic depictions of childhood trauma, observed death, serious illness, grief, and familial separation.
Ink and Horizons Book Award
This book is a winner of the Ink and Horizons Book Award, an accolade dedicated to honoring books that explore the uncharted territories of human experience—stories that invite readers to journey beyond the familiar and engage with the universal themes that unite us all. Whether through vivid fiction, thought-provoking nonfiction, or evocative poetry, the award highlights works that embody the spirit of literary exploration.
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