Lest I Climb Too High

Book excerpt: Lest I Climb Too High is a collection of Morris Breakstone's poetry and aphorisms written over five decades. His work is characterized by dry humor, romanticism and sense of social and moral justice. The early poems are elegant and in the classical sonnet style; later, Breakstone experimented with the simplicity of the haiku - a simplicity that challenged him when expressing universal themes. Haiku, did you tie Seventeen knots in my rope Lest I climb too high? Breakstone's poetry is a journey through his life experiences. We hear the psychologist in... Pairs of windows form Quotation marks for their screams - Night at the madhouse ...while the ugliness of war is remembered in: Between us we lugged The thought of peace like a corpse Boot-tagged for the morgue Breakstone was also a master of the aphorism. Just as with his poetry, we see the range of his intellect from the ironic - You can insult two people at the same time by telling them they look alike - to wisdom and tenderness - Loved faces never fade from memory, lending heart, to faces we have yet to love. Everyone should find something to relate to in Lest I Climb Too High - the struggle between good and evil, love, friendship, family and death.