|
Glass House Published 2004  Reviews"Dianalee Velie writes with grace and in poem after poem, her voice possesses a tender agility in order to travel those difficult paths that make us all uniquely human. These poems are brave in their lucidity, generous, sensual and intelligent celebrations of what it means to be in the world. Read this collection, it will enhance your life." -Kevin Pilkington, Poet / Professor (click here for more reviews) excerpt - Advice to My Cat Who Would Be a Poet Why do you stalk my mouse at the precise moment the muse descends, then delicately trip over random keys until a long line of feline poetry spreads before my eyes? If you want to be a poet, let me offer you some advice. Dig deep for the dirt, getting to the root of your poem, you know, like you did in the potted gardenia on the dining room table, then claw unrelentingly until you reveal the pure white ethereal stuff inside. (click here for the complete excerpt) |
 First EditionPublished 2005 Reviews "Velie's First Edition is a brave book, doing what it must do, making art out of enormous tragedy, painting over grief with '(t)he lemon yellow paint, called joyous..." -Maxine Kumin (click here for more reviews) excerpt - Metanoia Talismanic rosary in hand. |
|
The Many Roads to Paradise Published 2006 Reviews  " In Dianalee Velie's poem, "Primary Colors," an old man, at home in his life, says "Here I am and I know." The Many Roads to Paradise is the record of a poet's tenacious desire, here and now - by way of a dog or a fireplace log or Louis Armstrong's recorded voice or a blue-collar cafeteria worker or a hermit thrush or a dying friend or a woman who is stoned to death - to 'know where God is hiding,' to 'sense heaven.' She invites our company during this search for the source, and we're grateful to discover her poems' answers."-William Heyen, 2004 National Book Award Finalist (click here for more reviews) excerpt - Segovian Riff A Segovian riff drifts through the latticed windows on their waterfront cottage, settling in the garden where my sister plants golden fall mums. Dressed in short overalls and a yellow, long-sleeved shirt, muddy gardening debris scatters around her, a Spanish sunflower to her husband, strumming his favorite guitar. (click here to continue) |
|
Select poems translated into Italian During the Travel Workshop to Italy in October 2009, Dianalee had the opportunity to do readings in Cortona and Merate, Italy. Dianalee read the following works in English which were then read in Italian by Alberto Casiraghy, Ferdinando Radaelli, and Emilio Zanmarchi. (click here to view poems) |