Note: The following article, including the two paragraphs appearing on my Home Page was written by Ann Marie Scheidler and posted January 19, 2009 to the Make It Better.net website; it is copyrighted material, appears here with their permission and remains the property of Ms. Scheidler and www.makeitbetter.net

cont'd from Home Page

"It's the subtitle of my book that really tells the story," explains Barry with so much joy, it seems his heart might burst. "'A passionate, poetic journey of hope, connection, and love'—this is the essence of my book. In sharing my feelings, I think I'm showing people that we are more alike than we are different. We have these common experiences that bring us together." ...Men who are comfortable with their feelings are few and far between. And then there those who are willing to express those feelings, in poetry no less, that are even fewer and farther apart.

Barry found poetry in the middle of his life. Not formally trained in this craft, he finds writing to be a sanctuary for him, having written more than 900 poems since he first put pen to paper. "I'm a passionate man. A blessed man. And it's going to sound corny, but I have to say it. If no one were to ever read a single word of my poetry, the journey [of writing it] would be no less sweet," he says.

One of Barry's favorite poems from Yellow Sun, Blue Moon is called "November Moon," a poem he read to the love of his life, Sheila, at their surprise wedding. "We planned to have a party to celebrate my 60th birthday. We rented out Prairie Moon Restaurant. There was going to be drinking and dancing. The room was going to be filled with family and friends and tons of love. And I just got this idea that we should get married," Barry muses. "I only told one person, the woman I had invited to perform the ceremony. So at the party, I told everyone that I was going to read a poem.

Something not to be missed in Barry's book is his wife's response to some of his writing. If you ask Barry, his wife's words are at the heart of his collection. "It's wonderful to give love, but it's something completely different and beautiful to feel it from someone else," says Barry.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Barry will be reading excerpts from Yellow Sun, Blue Moon on Wednesday, February 4 at the Book Stall in Winnetka.

Praise for Barry's first book
Echoes of the Heart

"We found your bravery to share your art and delicate emotions to be inspiring" Ben P.

"A pleasure to indulge my senses. Your book has touched me." Steven M..

"Echoes of the Heart really moved me." Tina R..

"Many poems I read over and over. Each time I can relate more and more" Carol D..

"The poems are beautiful. Many of them strike a chord with me" Sharon D..

"You write a lot about the human spirit in many ways, in many forms. I will treasure it always." John G..

"One hundred and one inspirational pages...poetry so wonderfully deep and so often insightful while ringing true and so close to the heart." Yvonne C..

"I felt I was being engulfed in a tempest and torrent of language and ideas. Emotion and passion fairly jump off the written page with every phrase. One reading is certainly not enough." Evelyn F..

"Truly thought provoking" Janet F..

"Spectacular...a real treat for the eyes as well as for the soul." Joanne D..

"Echoes of the Heart brought tears to all of us" Esther C..

"Really dug it...a real beaty to it" Michel M..

"Keep writing and we will keep reading" Barbara B..

"Beautifully rensered. Poetry...true and comes from the heart and mind. Shares the human condition" Jerry J..

"Poems diverse and interesting, their subjects thought provoking" Charlene A..

"Heartfelt and I enjoyed your style of description" Jane S..

"Quite Passionate and thought provoking" Rosie C..