NOTES ON "SAMMASATI" BY VLAD NEAGOE

 Sammasati is a poetry collection by Vlad Neagoe, co-authored with Liviu Neagoe, published in 2023 and available on Amazon. The title, derived from a term often associated with mindfulness or remembrance in Buddhist philosophy, reflects the book’s thematic depth. Vlad Neagoe’s poetry in this collection is described as a “fantastic invention,” responding to postmodernist trends with a style that condenses intense emotions into vivid, harmonious, and musically rhythmic verse. Critics highlight his work for its sensitivity, irony, and imaginative architectures, blending lucidity with a serious, composed tone. The poems explore the interplay of misfortune and hope, driven by a “boiling emotion” and ecstatic enthusiasm, creating a dynamic yet structured poetic motion. This aligns with Neagoe’s broader oeuvre, known for its lyrical and existential explorations, as seen in works like Run, Angel, Your House Is Burning and Between Life and Wind. Specific details about the content of Sammasati are limited, but it is part of Neagoe’s extensive catalog of over 30 books, reinforcing his reputation as a prominent Romanian poet.

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NOTES ON VLAD NEAGOE AND HIS WORKS

 

Vlad Neagoe, born March 2, 1952, in Tănătari village, Căuşeni district, Republic of Moldova, is a Romanian poet, essayist, prose writer, translator, and playwright. He studied at the Pedagogical Institute in Bălţi after three years at the Faculty of Journalism, Chişinău University, and earned a Ph.D. from the University of Bucharest’s Faculty of Philology (1992–1995). Since moving to Bucharest in 1994, he has been a member of Romania’s Writers Union and the Writers Association of Bucharest.Neagoe has published over 30 books of poetry and prose, known for their lyrical depth, vivid imagery, and rhythmic power. His works, such as A Trial of Time, Sonate, Eudaimonia, The Trap, and Sorrento, blend satire, lyricism, and tragedy, often exploring themes of existence, dreams, and human emotion with a postmodern sensibility. His poetry is described as a “fantastic invention,” condensing intense emotions into harmonious, musical forms, while his prose, like The Trap, delves into reckless pursuits of happiness with tragic yet ironic outcomes. He also engages with social themes, as seen in Life for Rent, which addresses moral decay and personal downfall. Neagoe’s work has been praised for its sensitivity, irony, and imaginative architectures, with critics likening his poetry to a Magritte painting for its surreal and profound qualities. He is considered one of Romania’s most accomplished contemporary poets. Additionally, he has a presence on platforms like LinkedIn and YouTube, where he shares creative works, including drawings for sale. His book June Shower was notably removed from a library in Melitopol in 2022 by Russian occupiers, labeled as “Nazi literature” alongside other non-Russian works, highlighting his cultural significance.

Source: Grok / X

THE WINTER SWOOPED DOWN

 

***

The winter swooped down one Sunday

at the exit from the Mass a raven dropped

his dung on the pate of the priest

the priest got drunk and chanted,

“There comes wind and sleet.

This is a good sign, that’s what I tell you

at the sermon nonetheless the cannibals

will rejoice. The winter was deeply

penetrating our senses.”          

THE STUBBORN EARTH SWAYS

 

***

The stubborn earth sways

in the lubricious constellation

like a whore self-righting doll ‒

under my window play two cats ‒

what horrible nostalgia as if there

comes another world, another cup

and you don’t even know where

you want to get to. I love you,

I couldn’t say anything else,

my beloved, you are big and deep.

The earth swings, wants your forehead.   

BITTER ARE THE WATERS OF THE DEATH

 

***

Bitter are the waters of the death

the errors are merry, the truth

is infernal ‒ an uncertainty always

keeps the people and the nations

in suspense ‒, suffering, love are

a twisted being I can’t know myself

I ought to sit in the seat of God.

AT THE FEET OF YOUR STEPS

 

***

At the feet of your steps

flight of swallows like a limpid

water, they are interlaced

with the fire of the momentary

memory under the willow now

I hear cicadas and frogs

where the high tender grass trembles. 

THE DEATH LIKE COCAINE

 

The warriors and the billionaires will destroy

Europe. The powerful machines will come

with their war music. Not even God will be able

to stop them and they will demolish the bridges,

the buildings, the blocks, the peasants’ houses,

the brothels, nothing will remain in its place,

everything perverts us, the brutal manipulation

of the light that receives us as strangers,

as wandering dogs, as sexonautes

or as angels of the inferno collects the bones

of the desire, the enthusiasm of the last murmured

syllable, the moans, the funereal whimper

from now on nothing remains anymore as it was

nothing remains anymore in its place, the corpses

become money. All that must disappear

will disappear like ghostly things, figures

hidden in the shadow, the ones who forgot to speak

or to bid farewell don’t know at least how to watch

together. Only the death stronger than cocaine

will truly die, truly coveted for us formerly a disaster.

The eternity is short and fragile ‒ she will last

as long as a tear. Only the grass at the feet of the dead

knows the taste of the living flesh of insects

that devoured her. Purely and simply this world

doesn’t exist and the warriors and the billionaires

are moving in vain. Every love is everlasting.