This Beating Heart of Time: Poems by Tony Horava

by Tony Horava

Overview

This collection of poems is an exploration of my childhood, my parents and my evolving relationships with them. It reflects the impact of World War Two, and my parents’ emigration to a new country (Canada). These poems explore the mysteries of time and kinship on human identity, our shifting and imperfect knowledge of those who are closest to us, and the conundrum of self-knowledge in an intense family triad where love and conflict were deeply entwined. There are reflections of childhood memories of sports, camping trips, various intense family moments and experiences, and their impact on a child’s evolving identity. Dimensions of trauma and grief are explored, both as reflected in global political events and as conflict in an immigrant family. How does family history reveal the ever-present past? The complexities of memory and how this plays into identity and perception are other key themes in these poems. What does the passage of time mean for memory, grief, love, and conflict? Finally, there is a resolution of the past into a positive acceptance of the good and the bad, the cherished moments and the painful episodes, and a newfound understanding of the past and its foundational meaning for the present.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940165923593
Publisher:	Tony Horava
Publication date:	08/30/2022
Sold by:	Smashwords
Format:	eBook
File size:	251 KB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

I am born and raised in Montreal, Canada, but moved to Ottawa in my twenties. I have a BA in English and History, a Masters in Library and Information Science, and a Masters in English. I worked as a librarian at the University of Ottawa for 32 years before retiring in 2019. I’ve had a passion for words, literature, and the odyssey of writing ever since my teenage years. I’m very grateful to be able to indulge my passion in retirement. Writing about my family and childhood has been a cathartic experience for me, allowing me to look back from a long distance and recollect moments and feelings in tranquility and wonder. It’s an exploration of the past and the mysteries of time, the dynamics of memory, and an incantation of the soul. I’m happy to publish this collection as a free ebook to share my poems without any barriers, for anyone who could be interested. If these poems give you only a sliver of the joy and meaning that they have brought me, I will consider myself fortunate in sharing them.