BookView Review

Giampaolo weaves passion, philosophy, and mysticism into a powerful anthology that vividly explores the intricacies of the human experience. Divided into four thematic sections—love, essence and spiritualism, social justice, and fantasy—the collection traverses a rich emotional and intellectual landscape. In “La Femme Fatale,” a fleeting café encounter becomes unforgettable: “I remember./ I met you one morning at Le Café Parisienne./ You crossed your legs, as only a French woman knows how to do.” “Search for Me” merges longing with meditative stillness, portraying love as timeless and transcendent. “The Travellers” blurs the boundaries of past, present, and future. 

“Be the Bee” distills wisdom through a metaphor of purposeful simplicity: “Does the bee wonder if or why she is a bee?” “Today is Lost” critiques systemic failure with sharp clarity, while “The Platoon from Hell” juxtaposes youthful innocence against the horrors of war. In “Athens or Sparta?” Giampaolo examines the values of repressive and progressive societies. Other poems soar with allegory. “The Birdman” celebrates intellectual freedom in a dystopian world that suppresses knowledge, while “Angelica and Her Knight” intertwines dreams and reality in a timeless romantic quest. The titular poem, “Metanoia,” urges transformative awareness beyond binaries and illusions, calling readers to embrace truth as an ineffable, felt experience: “Dear son, the truth has been eluding us,/ probably since the beginning of time.”

Giampaolo’s reflective tone, layered meanings, and skillful use of allegory and paradox add depth and resonance to his work. A thought-provoking exploration of existence and the human spirit, this collection challenges, provokes, and inspires.

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