No Angry Islands

About the Book

Memory hangs over this moving collection of poems like a veil of wistful longing. All may be ephemeral – love, nature, life itself – but memory lives on. In the title poem, “No Angry Islands,” Jay Cohen captures the lost moment of two lovers, separated by time and space. Their bond is now frozen in the elements of nature: “Only the wind to weep of former days./Only the dawn to take us back again.” Cohen’s unique perspective as both a poet and a scientist overlays his reflections on the physical world and the human soul. He explores the lasting impact of celebrated men such as Robert Frost, Louis Pasteur, and Itzak Perlman. But what of the ordinary man? He, too, has a chance for immortality, through his words and deeds. Cohen’s deep, lyrical voice echoes through this book as he, indeed, lives on through his poems, honoring the mundane and the mighty, marveling at the idiosyncrasies of nature and man. Ten years after his death, his insights remain as relevant and palpable as ever.

About the Author

Born near the ocean in Jacksonville, FL, the rhythms of nature inspired Dr. Jay O. Cohen to begin writing poetry as a teenager. After early encouragement from Robert Frost, Cohen, a microbiologist, became a prolific writer, publishing in numerous journals. He died in 1991.