In Pursuit of the Almost
“My eyebrows remain fixed in place.
The element of surprise is now missing.
It’s not that I have seen it all,
It’s that all I’ve seen is not enough.”
There is more to life than what we think we see. We are in pursuit of the almost.
What is the almost? It is the artist’s role to point that out, to show what is there but unseen. As artist René Magritte stated: “If the dream is a translation of waking life, then waking life is also a translation of the dream.”
Writing with whimsy, New York gritty humor, upending irony, and backstabbing insight, poet Phil Ginsburg explores the spaces between the lines of life. In the absurdities, he experiences indignation, but not despair. In seemingly mundane moments, he finds tenderness and love and questions about God. In common workers, he finds transcendent human dignity. In the face of death, he finds hope. Under the weight of angst, he encounters pathways to peace. In racial conflict, he sees opportunity for reconciliation. In times of confusion, he sees mysteries and glimpses of eternity.
He discovers there is more to this world than we can see, and the unseen is what we most need.
Scroll down to see Phil reciting three poems from the book.
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About the Author
Phil Ginsburg is a performance poet and playwright. His poetry has appeared in publications in the United States, England, and Israel.
Ginsburg’s short play Another Day in Polka Topia won the John Mineri Award at the American Globe Theater in NYC (no longer open). In 2019, his musical Almost Jerusalem earned “Best Libretto” at the Moondance International Film Festival.
His book "Voices Beyond the Veil" has been transformed into a two-part virtual theater presentation produced by Village Arts in Colorado Springs and performed by an international cast.
He once appeared on "The Dating Game" television show and won. He never went on the date.
Endorsements
“When a poet’s work is this witty and wry, it’s easy to miss that it’s also very wise. Phil Ginsburg is like the lovechild of Billy Collins and Ogden Nash, but raised on the wisdom of your mother’s rabbi. He’s a natural storyteller, and with age he’s turned his keen insights upon not only the myriad characters that inhabit his world, but also on his own tender and love-worn heart. That heart continues to beat through his pen.”
“In Pursuit of the Almost is a jolting journey with a seer who steers us to where beauty, hope, and wonder are hiding in plain view.”
Spoken Word Pieces