Poems by Matteo N. Delgrosso

“LOVE THE WORLD”

What does it mean, “Love the world”? Love men, nature, animals? With this poem, I invite you to reflect on the ambiguity of the love man brings to his environment.

Man declares his love only in words, but the reality is different.

You say: Love the world. But you destroy it.

You say: Love men.

But you don’t understand them.

You say: Love the woods (forests). But you destroy them with a blow of the ax.

You say: Love the animals. But you enslave them.

If now you still say you love me, I am afraid.

Matteo N. Delgrosso

WWW.MATTEOINVENTORY.COM

The world today—his own environment— is more or less a victim of what is happening, with all kinds of disease and very little happiness like good health, honesty, and so on. Let’s see me personally through this inventory: It has already been twelve years that I am no longer totally free. Always busy with different appointments, different doctors, different tests— it has become a torturous routine. Almost every day I have to face the unpleasant news, often I am angry, with a lot of frustration. Moral help is very rare. It’s very common, the saying, “Help yourself.” The happiness of yesteryear is gone. In these real moments I am writing my memory. Something comes to mind—that one day (I don’t remember when) I saw a magazine on a stand. I looked, I took, I started to read the first page and the last words at the end of the editorial totally changed my feelings—it encouraged me. Since that day, I have not been the same person. I became someone else with a different way of thinking. Who am I today? The same person with a different perspective— more courageous, not afraid of anything, ready to give the best advice I can, better prepared to deal with society, to face up to my life. I am somebody, still living day to day. Today, I am alive. Who knows about tomorrow? And the words that changed my way of living are, “You are not alone.”

Matteo N. Delgrosso

RESPECT IS MY ATTITUDE

Please don’t litter.

The city is like your home.

Please practice cell phone etiquette. Keep your private life private!

Please don’t cut off the cars, block driveways, or cut in car lines. Relax…life is short…let’s be civilized.

Please hold the door for the person behind you. No one likes a slammed door in their face.

Please give up your seat on public transportation— To the elderly, handicapped, and mothers with babies.

Please don’t spit on our sidewalks and streets. You know it’s unhealthy…not to mention gross.

Please do pick up after your dogs. When was the last time you enjoyed stepping in it?

Please don’t curse in public. Teach children well.

The city is a home to everyone from everywhere and we enjoy so many different types of music— But not noise pollution.

Don’t forget to say “excuse me” or “please” and “thank you”— Courtesy should be our common language.

Matteo N. Delgrosso