Alive at Ninety-Five

About the Book

Dr. William Plumley writes about Sydney M. Kleeman's first book of poems, "these reflections are not exactly poems and not exactly meditations." The same can be said of this second collection of poems, in which Sydney Kleeman revisits the themes of the aging process, social justice, man's inhumanity to man, and his hope for a more just world. At times he writes profound commentary on man's egregious treatment of his fellow man, urging his readers to raise their voices to make a difference. Other poems, such as A Rare Moment, show the author's lighter, more personal side as he meets his great-granddaughter for the first time. Finally, these poems are the work of a wise nonagenarian, imparting the wisdom gained through a life full of work, travel, and community service, as he faces the inevitability of aging, but never stops striving to make his voice heard.

About the Author

Sydney M. Kleeman began writing poetry in his eighties to express his opinions on social justice and the state of the world, cultivated during a lifetime of community service and travels to over 50 countries. He was born in Charleston, West Virginia, and lived there with his wife, Beatrice, throughout their 73-year marriage and until his death in 2001 at age 95. This is his second book of poetry.