Coronavirus Poems

Of Many Parts

To call Jerry Ross a latter-day William Blake might be a stretch but not by much. Jerry is a well travelled, well-informed intellectual, a life-long activist and gadfly, a poet , a wordsmith, and an artist extraordinaire. His latest publication is a collection of poems- both serious and whimsical- entitled “Coronavirus Poems.” His topics range from the damaged individual who occupies the White House and his sycophants, to other people in the news, current events, historical figures both foreign and domestic, his predilection for gardening, and the love and admiration he has for his intellectual equal- his wife Angela.
Each poem is accompanied by the author/artist’s depiction of his subject- all of which remarkably capture the individual. He pays homage to the hero, John Lewis, to the martyr, George Floyd, and the lesser-known Evo Morales and Anita Garibaldi. He excoriates the devious J. Edgar Hoover, the hypocrite, Lindsey Graham, and the grifter, Steve Bannon.
Each poem is rich in language and imagery. Some of the words have been coined by the author himself but the reader easily understands their meaning from context.
Some of the poems are brutally forceful while others are delicate and reverent. I have suffered from asthma so the poem dedicated to george Floyd left me feeling as I’d it were I who couldn’t breathe! Such is the power of Mr. Ross’s suggestive skill.
I recommend this slim volume to anyone interested in the observations of one gifted with intelligence and the keen eye of a talented artist.
David Zelaya
Cortlandt Manor, NY