WHAT CRITICS ARE SAYING ABOUT VJ ANCONA & INTROSPECTION
"Congratulations...that is just TERRIFIC! I wish you the best of luck!"
- Hillary Clinton & Me With Book In Hand
"[Just] when I think I have heard all, I gasp at the fluid device you find in language. So many speak of "flow" these days: poets, rappers, spoken word artists, and yet, you have taken what is abstract, and made it sublime in context and content. I applaud you, my friend. You grow like a pearl inside it's encasement. When you emerge to the whole world, your lustre will blind the eyes and shock the complacent, into a new place. I cannot wait to see that happen for you. I am as proud of your work, as if you were my child."
- Susaye Green
Legendary Member of "The Supremes" photographed with living legend Stevie Wonder
Me With Chelsea Clinton
"Vince's word-paintings portray the landscape of the soul with fine, luminous brush strokes, leading us through light and shadow to the very core of emotion and insight. His work is fearless, illuminating, inspiring, and astoundingly beautiful."
-Lisa Tenzin Dolma
UK Author of 10+ Inspired Books Found Worldwide & One Of My Dearest Friends
"Enjoyed your [poetry] ... very impressive."
- George Takei
"The Legendary Sulu" from the Original Star Trek Series
"With the exception of music, the goal of art is visual stimulation. Mr. Ancona's writings can create a picture in the mind's eye with a skill very few writers have. His words are striking, emotional and vibrant. He is a true artist."
- CM Wolett
World Renowned Photographer
"Your writing is eloquent. Thank you for sharing your empowerment and inspiration...and giving form to [things] that have touched our lives so deeply..."
- Antonio Pontarelli
Friend, Rock Artist, Violinist, Child Prodigy & Entertainer On The Red Carpet
"I had BETTER get a copy!"
- Me & Tiffany Haddish
Actress From "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia", Comedian, Host at World Famous "Laugh Factory"
"VJ expresses such beautiful words in his poems that are extremely powerful and enlightening...the poems just keep getting better and better."
- Christian Monzon
Dolce & Gabanna, Etc. Model Worldwide
"All at once confronting and comforting, Vincent offers insight and wisdom beyond his years in his beautiful compelling utterings."
- Lou Pardi
Reknowned Australian Comedian
"Well I must say, I'm very impressed with your poetry. I think what I enjoyed most was the fact you shared your true emotions with the Myspace Community and any and all other readers. I wish you all the best..."
- Chris Chelko (On left w/ Jay Leno)
Variety Entertainer
"Congrats on the book...that is AWESOME!"
-Bobbi Billard
Actress, AOL's #1 Internet Model, and the #4 Female on MySpace. Photographed with Hugh Hefner and Playboy Bunny, Roxanne Galla.
"So exciting about your poetry...can't wait!"
Me & The Barbie Twins, Verified Celebrities
"Fabulous Job With The Book!"
Me & MAC Supermodels
Me & Australia's Top Model David 'Thunder' Supporting My Work
"Best of luck with your book, it will be a great success for sure!"
-Pasi Schalin
Actor, Model & Trainer
Music
I HIGHLY recommend checking out the beautiful art and photography of CM Wollet. Chad and I are actually in the process of doing a few collaboration pieces together. Click below to be amazed by this man's raw, riveting and hauntingly honest work.
Running With Scissors, The Curious Incident Of The Dog At Nightime, Dry, The Kite Runner, Ariel, The Bell Jar, The God Of Small Things, A Seperate Peace, The Tipping Point, From Good To Great, Atlas Shrugged, The Fountainhead, Lord Of The Flies, Ariel, Metamorphasis, The Immovable Mover, How To Win Friends & Influence People, Most Michael Crichton books, The Tipping Point, Rick Moody Short Stories, Maya Angelou, My Life: Bill Clinton, Sophies World, Celestine Prophecy, Cook Books, and tons of others I'm sure I'm forgetting.
Heroes
..
Dr. Martin Luther King JR, George Carlin, Lewis Black, Dale Carnegie, William Chamberlain, Hellen Keller, Anne Frank, Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, Ezra Pound, Fiona Apple, Paul Thomas Anderson, Sam Mendez, Allan Ball, Tori Amos, Jeff Buckley, Rosa Parks, Auguston Burroughs, The Dhali Llama, Madonna, Janet, Bjork, Bryant McGill, Lisa Tenzin Dolma, Jen Govey, Susaye Green, George Takei, Stephanie Mulreaney, MYSELF! etc.
I laid out on the back lawn looking up
At the night stars thinking about
Her ivory skin and natural grown fingernails
And recalled that caution was as important
To her as a box containing fragile glass
She was always so careful and precise,
I remember her smile and her tears
And her marriage to matrimony
Her eyes had the look of the ocean
And her fingers had calluses only life could give.
I remember her best in Spring
Around the violent tulips and how
She always loved babies breath probably
Because she couldn’t have babies
And how she loved the flowers in the garden.
I can still see her hair blowing freely
Spraying out into the warm summer sky
Her heart pumping blood the color of licorice
I remember every morning when she
Sang soft lullabies that drifted like a memory
I remember her in the fall when she fell
Floating around like the crisp leaves in
An azure wind, I remember the steel tanks
And when the doctors carried her away
and, a gift, her own iron lung
I remember her in winter because
She may have to leave soon so
I clutch her old photograph like an epileptic
Remembering everything, fading away with her
Desperately squeezing my white handkerchief
You’ve pulverized me with your words again.
I have become plain and granular
Each speck a bromide
Squeezed out onto the chilled glass
Left to unravel under your empty steel gaze
I glance at your handwritten note
It is sloppy with the old smiley insignias
I am branded such, by them
Crying out in pain, like an infant
I lie down looking in my mirror
Refusing to believe that this is my body
Sagging Load.
Sinking into my bed sheets like quicksand
I think about yesterday, yesterday
And how quickly the years have flow by
On the hollow wings of some terrible bat
Haphazardly traversing space and time
And, blind, the whole while!
I wish I could take every empty promise
Every plea for mercy, please, please…
And place them into an empty bottle
I would send them off to hell then
A slow, luminous descent.
Time is never time enough-
To cure the cancer in things.
A brief glimpse of sunlight brings about
The reality of sunspots.
The sting of realization in the cornea...
The intangible power of truth-
The hemiplegic’s bone-white sheets-
And these words. . .
Like a swarming mass of bees
VJ Ancona writes poetry that speaks to the soul. Taking up the confessional style, a most unusual choice, this poet follows in the hallowed footsteps of Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, W.D. Snodgrass and Robert Lowell. The poems are filled with an almost lyrical prosody and speak directly to the readers heart and conscience. Like the title implies, these poems are all about an introspection and examination of the self. They are honest, unapologetic and forgiving at the same time. Welcome to the world of introspection where anything goes and an extreme sense of self discovery is always present.
ABOUT VJ ANCONA
[VJ] Ancona has been writing ever since he could pick up a pencil. When he was 13 he won his first poetry prize for rescuing a dog that had been abused by its former owners and then writing about the experience. Published in Philadelphia's largest newspaper he realized that writing, poetry in particular, was his calling. When VJ was young he took a liking to the 'confessional' style of poetry in the vein of such famous writers as Sylvia Plath and Robert Lowell. For [Vince] the key to good poetry was not a Rhyme Scheme or Iambic Pentameter...it was sincerity, objectivity and an unembarrased sense of nostalgia. The poems all chronicled his life experiences and razor sharp insight into the world around him. Since then his poetry has been hailed by critics nationwide. He has been published in various books, has been featured on various CD's, has done poetry projects for various writers, models, fashion designers, famous photographers and, more recently, celebrities. 2007 brings exciting news for the poet with a promising new book "Introspection" that is pending completion minus a few minor additions. The book will be 50 pages and feature some of his best work. Promotions, Travelling, Negotiating and Networking are top priority as plans for the book continue to unfurl. Stay tuned for more detail and feel free to check out many of the poems found here on this profile!
Literary Award Recipient
My Interview With Maelan Magazine
http://maelan.netfirms.com/
Follow Your Dream
FEATURED & PUBLISHED POET ACADEMY OF AMERICAN POETS
SPOTLIGHTED/FEATURED POET MYSPACE POET SOCIETY
AMERICAN REVIEW LITERARY JOURNAL LITERARY AWARD RECIPIENT
Quotes I Live By:
"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved."
-Helen Keller
"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature.... Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.
-Helen Keller
"College isn't the place to go for ideas."
-Helen Keller
“The impossible - what nobody can do until somebody does”
-Elbert Hubbard
"Apparently there is nothing that cannot happen today."
-Mark Twain
"We should take care, in inculcating patriotism into our boys and girls, that is a patriotism above the narrow sentiment which usually stops at one's country, and thus inspires jealousy and enmity in dealing with others... Our patriotism should be of the wider, nobler kind which recognises justice and reasonableness in the claims of others and which lead our country into comradeship with...the other nations of the world. The first step to this end is to develop peace and goodwill within our borders, by training our youth of both sexes to its practice as their habit of life, so that the jealousies of town against town, class against class and sect against sect no longer exist; and then to extend this good feeling beyond our frontiers towards our neighbours."
Lord Baden-Powell
“Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”
-Albert Einstein
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
-Anne Frank
"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; he world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination re omnipotent. The slogan press on has solved and always will solve he problems of the human race. No person was ever honored for what he eceived. Honor has been the reward for what he gave."
Coolidge
Ralph Waldo Emerson
"I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.
Edward Everett Hale
"Condemnation without investigation is the height of ignorance."
Hey we just posted a NEW song on our myspace! It would be super rad if you could take a few minutes to give it a listen and let us know what you think of it.
hey!Jan 15th I'm headlining the IMPROV and recording a cd/dvd, PLEASE come support this show:) Means a lot to have my friends there as I hope to sell it out.
Click on the pic below to take you to the IMPROV calendar: OTHERWISE PLEASE CLICK THE FACEBOOK IMAGE BELOW TO JOIN MY FACEBOOK COMEDY PAGE Hit me back if you have ANY questions - I hope to see you! I understand you may not be able to come ALL THE way to San Jose, but at least join my FaceBook:)
No more time for dreaming dreams, let's live the ones we've got! Onward and upward, without fear, without gravity!!!
Take this kiss upon the brow! And, in parting from you now, Thus much let me avow- You are not wrong, who deem That my days have been a dream; Yet if hope has flown away In a night, or in a day, In a vision, or in none, Is it therefore the less gone? All that we see or seem Is but a dream within a dream.
I stand amid the roar Of a surf-tormented shore, And I hold within my hand Grains of the golden sand- How few! yet how they creep Through my fingers to the deep, While I weep- while I weep! O God! can I not grasp Them with a tighter clasp? O God! can I not save One from the pitiless wave? Is all that we see or seem But a dream within a dream?
How is it they live in such harmony the billions of stars - when most men can barely go a minute without declaring war in their minds about someone they know. -- Saint Thomas Aquinas
happy birthday! not sure if i'm early or late...i never manage to show up exactly on time :) but have a great day today! and a great decade, in case I miss it the next few years ;) mwuah~lelia
..
