I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A DANCER

A debut book of inspirational poems by a Los Angeles elder.

This is not a book simply to celebrate the well-worn and anticipated verities. The collection pays tribute to a senior’s life—his civic pride, community engagement and commitment to poetry, which has inspired him and provided vision and meaning to his life. Farber divides his poetic exploration into seven sections that offer thanks for his relationship with his wife, his friends, his young granddaughter and for the cultural richness of living in LA—all told with joyous optimism. Written sometimes as prose poems and sometimes as rhyming verse, this self-styled book gives voice to the fears and challenges of growing old. The poems have their dark moments when Farber confronts his angst about his diminished capacities and the prospect of death. He repeatedly overcomes these shadows by choosing an energetic and positive outlook based on his personal philosophy: “To outwit the wisp of elderly years / A Herculean task to conquer fears… / Release the powers of writing, of giving / Experience of life feeds energy in kind / Shields health in body and mind.” The ethos here also embraces the city’s cultural diversity; vibrant ethnic neighborhoods; art and architecture, including Simon Rodia’s Watts Towers: “Man’s inner fortitude and strength / Proudly glows—too hard to measure.” Also celebrated is the artistic fellowship of the author’s poetry class where many of these poems originated—“Inspiration in the poetry class / Fellow poets energize the soul.” As a poetic testament to the many American seniors who give selflessly to their communities, this book delivers its homespun verse with a simple message that will prove satisfying to the reader who wishes to share and learn from the insights of an octogenarian.

An inspirational celebration of the joys, meanings and challenges of senior life in LA.