Your book Bob The Jew is truly amazing Alan, and I cannot put it down. I will be leaving a review for you on Amazon and wish you much success. Mark M

Hi Alan,

I just read Carrying that Burden on your web site. A bit of background about me, my husband died of lung cancer in 2010. You captured my emotions and I appreciate your ability to put feelings into words. There are lines in the poem that I especially relate to i.e. “every day could be my last but treating every second like it was my first”. Wayne and I talked a lot about his diagnosis and prognosis and decided that he wanted to live his life to the end, not fight death. I feel that in your words. This is a gift not every has. Thank you for sharing your heart.

Sincerely,

Beth

Alan ,
Your beautiful words touched my heart. Reflection is so profound; it makes one’s heart feel all kinds of emotions especially peace. I wish you well ! L

So eloquent! So beautiful! What a great poet, mind and ability! Thank you!❤️🩷❤️

Sincerely,
Jane D’C

Carrying that Burden, So BEAUTIFUL! I am absolutely balling my eyes out reading this! But absolutely beautiful. What a sweet man with such a big heart. The heaviness everyone must feel, my heart aches for humanity. His poem I feel everyone could relate to because it’s a battle of being at peace with your fate, but also mourning the idea of loving life itself knowing we have to leave it…No matter who you are, one thing we all have in common is death. This poem for me, is how I would define what it’s like to be human.

Thank you for sharing this with me, you don’t know how much I needed to read this.
Sarah

R

Alan, I’m seated on the plane, just read the poem. Tears…thank you…you read me better than the people in my life. The poem is beautifully written. I’ll treasure it.

Sincerely,
Beth

Wow, Alan so beautifully said, and so soon afterwards! I am truly honored, in many ways. Beyond written or verbal expression.

I especially love the line about a “cacophony of touch…”. And to refer to my scintillating voice when yours is the scintillating one:)

Truly, my pleasure, and feeling very blessed. Thank you for the honor of the lovely poem, I bow down to you…
Lisa

Subject: Book/Poem/Dog
Message: Dear Alan,
I am going to proceed with this as it happened for me!
I recieved your “Kennel Hill” 2 days after I got home. Terrific as promised!
Thank you very much!
I read your book that day,my favorite “Constantly”,I,criedI
I decided that I wanted to send you a Thank You for the book!
I also wanted to send you a picture of Bruce! He died a few years ago.
I addressed your letter from me to your Washington address! Then I wondered
if you were still there when it arrived! And then I wondered if you had seen
my cute dog. I have had 17 cute dogs in my life time! Starting when I was
a child that was bitten in the face by my doctors cocker spaniel .(Doutty-sp)
I did not know how to follow up with you and then I saw your Email address!
I am almost finished I promise! And then a letter from you with NO return
address, Oh dear! So here comes electronic mail for you!

The letter from you contained a lovely poem about “ME”! What an honor to
have you write a poem about me. Alan I felt completely connected to
you when we talked on the flight. You are such a kind caring person
and I am so lucky to have had time to talk with you. At that moment
in my life, the contact was perfect for me. Thank you and I hope we
meet again!
I hope Lola did not have a broken neck and she is well again, she is a
beautiful animal!
Love Janet

Just saw this! AMAZING and accurate poem. You are very gifted. Such an honor to know you.

Susan C

Hi Alan

I have just got round to appreciating your latest poem this morning (in a quiet reflective moment). I am utterly in awe of your ability to summon-up the poetic muse at short notice and create such a thought-provoking and powerful piece of writing in the process ! Astounding. The poems I’ve written in the past tended to be wrenched unwillingly from my soul and sometimes took years to perfect. Some are still in the ‘pending tray’ from my lovesick years as a shy misunderstood teenager. I have had a rather frustrating and tempestuous relationship with the refined muse of poetry and verse which is probably why I prefer the more brazen promiscuous charms of prose !

“On the Beaches” should fit in beautifully with the next issue. Thank you so much for this. It is going to be an exciting issue to work on with Churchill and the World Cup all being commemorated.

Anyway, I’ll be chatting to Paul in a little while so I’ll mention you in my dispatches from the Poet’s Corner frontline !

I am tempted to quote, in the next issue, Baldrick’s classic minimalist poem from Blackadder 3rd (The far superior WWI Series) which goes …. “Boom Boom Boom ….. BOOOOOM BOOOM BOOM ….. Booooooooom Booooooom Boooooooooooooooom” Wonderful stuff !????

I hope your ‘booms’ will continue to resonate !

Thanks again for the poem ….. which certainly ‘takes no prisoners’ !???

Yours in Admiration
JOHN JJ

Alan

It’s not often I choke up when I read one of your poems. The tears rolled down my face.

THANK YOU!!!
Paul

Touched and with humble gratitude I read this poem multiple times. Thank you, Grumpy Scrumpy!

Jillian M

Hello Alan,

I have now read every poem in the book. I was trying to read only a couple per day to get at the meaning and found them to be very insightful into the relationship of dogs to humans and yes, humans to dogs. As having a dog that I truly adored who died many years ago, there was a certain melancholy happiness to a number of the poems. There were also a number that made me chuckle out loud. You did a great job and it shows your talent. It is a shame that poetry has gone to the wayside for so many people as there is a lot to enjoy and learn. Great job Alan. Keep it up!!

Best regards,
Larry

I am not who I look at I am someone from the past
Recognizing only who I was and not who I have become
A stranger in a known place, with an unknown identity
Those lines of experience that change even a modest smile
Staring into the eyes of youth, no longer found

Alan Zoltie

Hi Alan

Thanks for the book! It is great! Sorry I didn’t get Bessie and Benson to you for it–they could have been ‘famous’! You are so right on with the doggie emotions….

Love, Cheryl

Hi Alan,

I am making my way through the Kennel Hill. The poems are so true, heartfelt
and charming. You certainly know how to convey the unique and
profound relationship with our animal companions. Thank you for my
copy.

Ann

Friend, I think I told you I have grown into poems….so often I could not understand them when I was younger. I had favorite poets but often the poems would run right over me without comprehension.

When I was in my mid 30’s, I met David Whyte and did a workshop with him that was quite powerful and it helped me awaken an understanding.

I find most poems are like my dreams with multiple meanings and need to be admired often and from many angles.

And lines from poems often pull at my mind and tug at my heart…..so I tend to find words or phrases that stay with me.

I have read these poems many times and they are quite profound. They capture the kaleidoscope of emotions….I read them first as you are someone I care about and so I read them with that view, then I read them thinking of the situation with Bruce and then I read them thinking of my own journey…..they simply demanded and deserved that kind of reading and finally, I just read them with my heart…..I let them wash over me and through me…..their power is undeniable.

Teresa

Two poems. Perfectly capturing the complexity. The absurdity. The miracle.

-W

Wow. This is just amazing. So beautifully written and you’ve captured
the challenge it is to resolve such completely different aspects of
one human being. I think the wife grieves for her own lost life as
much as she grieves a love that really never was. But less and less
each day. More I could say but I’m pecking away on my iPhone since
gmail isn’t loading for me this morning. Thanks for sharing and
listening.

Wendy

So touched by your beautiful, touching prose about Jean. A beautiful man, always.

So sad to learn of her passing. A truly remarkable woman.

With love and every best wish,

Anita

My Friend, Alan,

I am so moved!

THANK-YOU!!

I cannot recall being more excited to read an email than when I saw your explanation of these contents. I opened the attached file and set it to the side, ‘till I was ready to view. There was so much anticipation, as I LOVE your poetry.

It is so moving. Once again, THANK-YOU. I am honored, and I believe your insights are rich. It is one of the coolest things ever done for me.

It’s awesome that you were moved, (as I was,) by our connection. You are a very special person on this planet, Alan, and I am thrilled that God would have our paths to cross. Any role I could play to help your causes or your path, I would be honored.

All God’s Best to you and your life. I look forward to connecting this upcoming week.

Thank-you again!.. So moved.

– WOW
Wilson

Alan,

I so enjoyed meeting you today and now, I’m having the pleasure of reading your website poetry! Your poems are so descriptive of people & experiences – truly perceptive! I loved ‘Not Jesus,’ ‘Art,’ ‘Prayer,’ &, well, everyone I’ve read!

Wilson

An excellent poem by Alan Zoltie about Alan Ball, and I will send it to The PFA. AND MANY OF MY OTHER CONTACTS IN THE GAME.

Paul

Hey there Alan,

This is Katie from Courtside, I loved your poems. The one that I felt like I have connected with the most is the poem, Half moon bay, I am a surfer, and I understand that waves are a very powerful thing. It was very nice to read. Thanks for opening up and letting me read a piece of your life.

Sincerely,
Katie A. Rhodes*

Hi Alan;

I love your poetry! You seem to have tapped into universal truth or intuitiveness. Each poem has given me a spiritual punch at the end. I read them as my treat for the day.

Jim