Table of Contents - Fonseca Poems in The Bomb That Blew Up God

Freddy Niagara Fonseca covers a lot of ground, literally and figuratively, in his book of poetry, “The Bomb That Blew Up God.” From haiku to narrative free verse, his exploration of form, rhyme and rhythm is almost a compendium of modern poetic style. The tone is varied too – from playful humor to earnest poignancy – but the poems are artfully arranged to lead the reader smoothly from one emotion to the next. And then there is the breadth of subject matter, which allows the reader a close-up view of the vastness of human experience, across the globe and deep within, through the poet’s eyes. Freddy’s poems are accessible on the surface, easy to read, yet layered with deeper meaning for those willing to spend more time with them.

—Monica Hadley, entrepreneur and host of the podcast Writers’ Voices with Monica and Caroline

This collection of works is distinctive — certainly original, but eclectic, deeply sobering and uniquely stylized. The author’s voice is that of a “thinker” …his inner world far more important than his outer …and there is something appropriately secretive and vulnerable about the artistry of the writing. Freddy Niagara Fonseca lays down a travel log scenario, with awesome professionalism, and knits his own naturally funny philosophic demeanor, with wit and wisdom, into phrases that just make you laugh out loud — THE BOMB THAT BLEW UP GOD.

—Rodney Charles, author of the bestselling Every Day A Miracle Happens

I very much enjoyed Freddy’s poetry because of his light touch. By this I mean it is playful, fascinated with life, cultures, and experiences. And, while his language is often casual, his poems are so carefully constructed, pristine really, that the experience of reading is superfluid. Here is a highly educated mind, taking from a thorough familiarity with the forms of poetry only what fits most fluidly to his purpose. Underneath the lighthearted journeys in time, place, and spirit there are whisperings of more formal beauty of phrase and a depth of comprehension of the wholeness of life. I stopped. Reread. Read it out loud, and was delighted with the skill of construction.

—Karla Christensen, poet, muralist, illustrator

I am still salivating over these poems, these rich, very diverse moments from the intimate inner life of the author. From the seductions of dance to the secrets of creation, Freddy Niagara Fonseca has prepared a banquet of verse, in which each dish is perfectly spiced to linger in your awareness and you simply lust to have more. Some poems are sweet, some are salty. All the flavors are present, as are all the subtle tones of emotional experience. And underlying the spices is a transcendent explosion of creative joy and wry humor at his divinely human condition.

—Debra Smith, Educational Kinesiologist, Watercolorist, Potter, Poet

I loved this vast, complex, yet simple book of wonderful poetry, THE BOMB THAT BLEW UP GOD!! Even the title is wonderful and startling… It’s filled with gems and myths, butterfly textures, fabrics that can stretch beyond expectation, even melt in your reading hands. It is a work of brilliance and honest perception and even more honesty is in the author’s presentation…Freddy Niagara Fonseca, a lover of language and a master-craftsman of the written word…of the beauty in language. I recommend this book of sublime intensity and devastating color of heart to any true reader, searching for the power and beauty of language that still exists today…

—Rudy Wilson, National Award Winning Author of several novels

Here is the collection of poetry I have waited for all my life — Freddy Niagara Fonseca’s The Bomb That Blew Up God. At last, poems that satisfy both critical mind and longing soul. Bold exquisite, rich language and brilliant awake treatments breathe life into worthy themes — nature, seasons, home, memory, dance, death, music, poetry, contentment. The great triumph of Fonseca’s poetry is sustained momentum blending image with observation to inexorably open the reader to unbounded awareness, where every reader wants to be. These poems entertain! Allow me to direct you to a singular masterpiece among masterpieces, “The New York City Zoo,” which delivers the reader from the ridiculous to the sublime.

—Burton Milward, Jr., retired attorney, author, radio show host

I have recently had the joy of reading Freddy Niagara Fonseca’s “The Bomb That Blew Up God” and cannot extol it highly enough. If you have the slightest shred of happiness within you, no matter how deeply it may be buried, reading his poetry will unearth, amplify and galvanize it till you are flying on the wings of his euphoria. The book includes seven engaging sections. One section is comprised of poems which are like a paean to dance and music, creating in the reader an irresistible call to dance. These poems express the power of swiveling and swinging to music; the power that carries you and your partners to realms of ecstatic freedom and exuberance. Other sections are equally revealing rhythmically and full of delights and inspirations. Many poems are surprisingly thought-provoking. For a good time, read Freddy Fonseca. Take a walk on the wonderfully free and wild side. Your soul and heart will be dancing from the first verses to the last.

—Carol Olicker, bereavement support group facilitator, retired hospice social worker, certified teacher of Transcendental Meditation, poet

This impressive volume is one that we can pick up at bedtime and open any page for mind travel. Freddy takes us on visual journeys through time and through places we can hear and smell. We swim in the sensual experience he creates and we return to our own thoughts reminded that we are part of the world of nature. His personal voice comes through…we see through his eyes. Caught up in the swirling imagery of his flowing words we feel the twinkle in his eye on every page.

—Gretchen Langstaff Schaffer, dancer, teacher, governor of the Age of Enlightenment; BA Fine Arts, Dance Dept. The Juilliard School; MA in Human Movement Potential and Dance, New York University

This poetry is so affecting, its rhythms and lyrics so compelling, I become a better person and appreciate living more than before.

—George Foster, Book cover designer