Frank Modica calls upon the muse of poetry with the first poem in this adorable chapbook.  The poem doesn’t really call out to Calliope (the muse of Epic poetry), but it harkens towards the feelings invoked perhaps by an epic play.  It’s a nice introduction and sets the stage, so to speak, to what awaits the reader in the next pages of this new collection.

“Old Friends” is a chapbook of poetry dedicated to and/or really about the author’s dog, Nero.  Once you read through these heart warming adventures and sometimes deeper moments, you may long for a furry companion of your own.  Or at the very least, you may want to read more poems about animals and pets.

Authors, painters, sculptors, musicians alike often have used a loved one as the inspiration behind their works.  Modica has found his poetic artistry in tales of life with his dog.

The poems are mostly written in free verse.  There are some prose poems and a haiku included as well. 

From the poem “Dilemma”:

“He likes riding in my car—he’s a warm weather dog. On our way
back home we face potholed roads and the damn wind. In the back
seat I carry his bowl, bottled water, a baggy of doggy treats. A row
of flashing red lights slow down in front of us. Our trail home inter-
rupted, we crawl behind the musty fog of buses and trucks. My car
skids on loose gravel, I brake in time but his snack spills on the
floor. Oh, dog we do not care for the cold and wind. Tired and
hungry, we search for safer, highways.”

Modica has successfully created a life of a special dog in these poems.  The poems are relatable and full of empathy and compassion for a dog’s life.  If you’re a pet owner, they are certainly part of the family. 

He examines all aspects of a pet and a pet owner’s existence together.  The poems are placed well within the book and also are written with special glimpses into how owner and pet interacts and spends their days, nights, and weekends. 

Through the good and the bad, it’s quite an accomplishment for a poet to see their vision through to the end.  Modica has been able to do this with ingenuity and imagination.  However, it is impossible to ignore the very real and loving influence Nero must’ve had on this poet’s life.

Curl up with your own special friend and enjoy this touching book.  Then after you’re done, be sure to pass it along!

~LB Sedlacek is the author of “The Poet Next Door,” “Simultaneous Submissions,” “Ghost Policy,” “I’m No Robot,” “Words and Bones,” “Swim,” “Four Thieves of Vinegar & Other Short Stories,” and “The Jackalope Committee & Other Short Stories.”

Frank Modica’s beautifully crafted poems remind us of our own ancestors, their immigration stories and the hardships they endured, showing how the family evolves and progresses to become ever more American and at the same time, diverse. Following Modica’s story-poems of both life’s joys and surprise tragedies make us smile, then weep. They are both personal and universal—indeed, our stories are what we harvest and make us who we are today. Reading Modica’s poems cleanses our souls. I recommend this book unreservedly.

--Patricia Hruby Powell, author of Josephine and Loving vs. Virginia, the recipient of Sibert, International Bologna/Ragazzi, Boston Globe HornBook Honors and Parent’s Choice Gold and Arnold Adoff Honors for Poetry.

“What We Harvest” is a powerful book of poems written by a poet who comes to his craft from real life, not from an MFA program. The book is rooted in characters who are family members from past and present, brightly drawn and interesting in themselves and for their mild exploits in America. You can imagine them sitting around a kitchen table loaded with food, eating, gesticulating, arguing. The book depicts the author’s growth as a person and as a fine poet. 

--Will Reger, author of two two full-length poetry collections, “Petroglyphs”  and “Kaleidoscope.”  Inaugural Poet Laureate for Urbana, Illinois, 2019-2020.  He has been writing poetry most of his life.

This beautiful book of poetry uses stunning, emotionally evocative language to tell the gripping personal story of an Italian family after their immigration to America. A heartfelt and well-crafted collection! 

--Alice B. McGinty, award-winning author of 50 books for children, including 2021 Jr. Library Guild Selection, The Water Lady: How Darlene Arviso Helps a Thirsty Navajo Nation; 2020 Kirkus Best Book for Kids, A Story for Small Bear; and 2019 Northern Lights Book Award Winner (food category) Pancakes to Parathas: Breakfast Around the World.