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Contemplations
A profound collection of poetry, Contemplations provides both emotive and philosophical potency. Often in an elegiac mode, Manieri’s pensive works convey a deep sense of the tragic dimension of existence, while expressing great nostalgia and longing. With reverence for the poetic tradition, the portrayal of anguished emptiness is continually poignant amidst a frequent questioning of the universe. Yet the pain also serves as a crucial catalyst, leading to an interior turn towards cosmic connection, towards a revitalizing awareness of the world’s beauty, that wonder which intimates the Transcendent. Steering with fortitude, this voyage of consciousness involves glimpses of serene clarity, as the meditations resound with stirring symbolism. And with a resurgence of trust, there is an intense yearning to know the Infinite, to return to unity.
- GenresPoetry
86 pages, Paperback
Published July 9, 2022
14 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Manieri
4 books64 followersChristopher Manieri is a Canadian poet and novelist with a great love for literature. Residing near Toronto, Ontario, he is a graduate of York University. He also has a deep interest in philosophy and history.
(Former pen name: Christopher Manners)
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 19, 2022
Echoes of Walden by Thoreau here; a crystallization of the moments that pass us by everyday - moments that hold our existence as fixed points on that map of life. Christopher Manieri is able to see the depth of existence in the transactional nature of our daily encounters, yet reminding us that there are ties that bind forever - highest recommendation.
September 24, 2022
There is nothing more poetic and elegiac than the act of contemplating. Manieri's verses revere the vastness of the Universe and our (in)significant place in it. I really loved the feeling of nostalgia and the mythological allusions in the poems.
"To exist is to continuously yearn".
"To exist is to continuously yearn".
October 26, 2022
This is a brilliant volume of poetry that takes the reader on a transcendent journey to translate the language of the soul’s purpose and the human condition that leads both the philosophical poet and reader to question their path. Answers can be found in the lines and in between if one is ready. Christopher Manieri has given meaningful insight and inspiration to all who ask the questions about our lives here on this voyage of contemplation and discovery.
July 27, 2022
This is a spiritually vibrant collection of poetry that stirs feelings of nostalgia within the reader. My favorite selections are “Sunday Evening”, “The Cavern”, and “The Seer.”
October 4, 2022
It's always a pleasure to read a book that comes recommended by the author, in this case, a fellow Canadian and lover of literature.
Contemplations is a small but sturdy collection of earnest reflective poems in the Romantic tradition. The poems are alive with alluring alliteration, and the voice is reminiscent of Alan Watts and (unsurprisingly) William Wordsworth. Filled with flirtatious references to the classics, the East, and the Canadian landscape, this collection is a heartfelt homage to the Romantics.
Contemplations is a small but sturdy collection of earnest reflective poems in the Romantic tradition. The poems are alive with alluring alliteration, and the voice is reminiscent of Alan Watts and (unsurprisingly) William Wordsworth. Filled with flirtatious references to the classics, the East, and the Canadian landscape, this collection is a heartfelt homage to the Romantics.
July 16, 2022
I really enjoyed this collection. The poems are profound and carry much emotional depth. They have an appealing spiritual quality during these stressful times. Inspiring and highly recommended.
September 26, 2022
"Contemplations" is more than just regular poetry. This collection of poems are pretty contemporary, yet they have a deep sense of longing and spirituality. I quite like Christopher Manieri's distinctive writing style. I enjoyed reading this one because it takes you on a short journey mixed with pleasant feelings, and you suddenly become one with a sense of wonder.
My favourite poems are: "her smile," The Captive," "Morning Silence," and lastly ", To Unity."
My favourite poems are: "her smile," The Captive," "Morning Silence," and lastly ", To Unity."
September 28, 2022
A great and thought-provoking collection of poetry. Manieri has an elegant and mature style of poetry, deeply reminiscent of the classics. If you enjoy moving and emotional pieces about what it means to exist in society, this one is for you.
September 26, 2022
In his book of poetry, Contemplations, author Christopher Manieri has called upon his knowledge of the perennial wisdom of ancient myth and philosophy. At the same time, he has shared his penetrating inner explorations and, while acknowledging the tragedy and despair of life, offers inspiring glimpses of spiritual insight.
In “A Meditation,” he begins by comparing life with shoveling snow in a blizzard, a constant struggle:
"Life is shoveling snow in a ceaseless blizzard; it’s agitation in an endless waiting room, in this foundationless structure that is always liable to fall."
Our human bodies are fragile, yet we continue facing one challenge after the next, even though we don’t know how much time we have left. Still, we must carry on always seeking some reward, some relief. But Manieri ends on a note of hope by affirming that our mission is not in vain:
"The nothingness can be vanquished with affirmations of the unique mission, trusting its tie to that greater mission…"
He tells us that our work is ‘ordained,’ it is something that has been decided, that this is what we must do. And our efforts are not in vain. It is an:
"immersion in the cosmic current, that ordained work which can drive us through this dream, enabling endurance and a generous gleam."
The poems reflect a deep faith, a trust that there is a higher purpose to our struggles, and that we are part of a greater whole. This idea resonates with the ancient philosophers he refers to, such as Marsilio Ficino, the great Renaissance man who was the head of the famed Medici circle of philosophers and artists who gathered at the Villa Careggi outside of Florence—the birthplace of the Renaissance—during the 15th century. Combining various streams of thought, Renaissance Platonism promoted the idea that creation is ongoing, and each of us must play a part.
In “The Villa of Careggi,” Manieri praises Ficino’s work as a translator of ancient texts and his spiritual aspirations:
"…as he tended lovingly to those lofty texts
With all his innate aspirations to ascend.
In that rejuvenating republic by the hills…"
Manieri goes on to tell us of the gatherings at Careggi. Here, such artists as Michelangelo and Botticelli joined with philosophers in the pursuit of ancient wisdom, with the goal of returning to the unity which is our source:
"And as the sages converged on that summit,
The talks streaming as a limitless fount,
Those ardent minds now began their flight
Towards that healing and harmonic union."
In “Jolts,” Manieri describes his own numinous encounters with nature, reaffirming the hidden divinity that exists in the world and which he can sometimes ascertain:
"There are certain jolts of joyous wonder
Which refresh as the flow of youth’s river
And yet flee as a fragile passerine bolting
From its branch, carrying both the grief
Of transience and the sustaining glow
Of the everlasting within that transience."
In his final poem, “To Unity,” Manieri reminds us that we are all heading toward a common destination:
"Eventually we shall all recall our identity.
As those olive trees shall flourish again.
We’re on a homeward voyage back
to bliss. And to unity we shall return."
These are just a few of the lyrical poems in this small but powerful book. It has been said that poets are the ones who have kept the perennial wisdom alive, the ancient spiritual knowledge that has been passed down through the ages. Contemplations, with its revealing insights, is a book to be savored and revisited time and again.
In “A Meditation,” he begins by comparing life with shoveling snow in a blizzard, a constant struggle:
"Life is shoveling snow in a ceaseless blizzard; it’s agitation in an endless waiting room, in this foundationless structure that is always liable to fall."
Our human bodies are fragile, yet we continue facing one challenge after the next, even though we don’t know how much time we have left. Still, we must carry on always seeking some reward, some relief. But Manieri ends on a note of hope by affirming that our mission is not in vain:
"The nothingness can be vanquished with affirmations of the unique mission, trusting its tie to that greater mission…"
He tells us that our work is ‘ordained,’ it is something that has been decided, that this is what we must do. And our efforts are not in vain. It is an:
"immersion in the cosmic current, that ordained work which can drive us through this dream, enabling endurance and a generous gleam."
The poems reflect a deep faith, a trust that there is a higher purpose to our struggles, and that we are part of a greater whole. This idea resonates with the ancient philosophers he refers to, such as Marsilio Ficino, the great Renaissance man who was the head of the famed Medici circle of philosophers and artists who gathered at the Villa Careggi outside of Florence—the birthplace of the Renaissance—during the 15th century. Combining various streams of thought, Renaissance Platonism promoted the idea that creation is ongoing, and each of us must play a part.
In “The Villa of Careggi,” Manieri praises Ficino’s work as a translator of ancient texts and his spiritual aspirations:
"…as he tended lovingly to those lofty texts
With all his innate aspirations to ascend.
In that rejuvenating republic by the hills…"
Manieri goes on to tell us of the gatherings at Careggi. Here, such artists as Michelangelo and Botticelli joined with philosophers in the pursuit of ancient wisdom, with the goal of returning to the unity which is our source:
"And as the sages converged on that summit,
The talks streaming as a limitless fount,
Those ardent minds now began their flight
Towards that healing and harmonic union."
In “Jolts,” Manieri describes his own numinous encounters with nature, reaffirming the hidden divinity that exists in the world and which he can sometimes ascertain:
"There are certain jolts of joyous wonder
Which refresh as the flow of youth’s river
And yet flee as a fragile passerine bolting
From its branch, carrying both the grief
Of transience and the sustaining glow
Of the everlasting within that transience."
In his final poem, “To Unity,” Manieri reminds us that we are all heading toward a common destination:
"Eventually we shall all recall our identity.
As those olive trees shall flourish again.
We’re on a homeward voyage back
to bliss. And to unity we shall return."
These are just a few of the lyrical poems in this small but powerful book. It has been said that poets are the ones who have kept the perennial wisdom alive, the ancient spiritual knowledge that has been passed down through the ages. Contemplations, with its revealing insights, is a book to be savored and revisited time and again.
July 24, 2022
This is an interesting, beautiful collection of poetry; it is varied in style and skilfully done, and this book is worth reading and rereading. But it is also focused on a core theme, of searching for the meaning of the universe. That search is even suggested by the name of this collection 'Contemplations' - the book is a series of contemplations, and contemplating on those contemplations.
The poet is a sensitive, subtle person, alive to the mysteries of life. In poetry themes like this can be explored in abstraction, and the big questions are so often so abstract. But that is not to say that the language here is abstract or obscure - just like there is no a camouflage of natural phrasing to make art seem simple, but a use of images and language that makes contemplations about God, or the infinite, or the universe easy to understand and relate to.
There is a lot of anxiety here. It is the anxiety of having lots of questions but no answers. As such, Manieri seems to look back through history, to the Ancient Greeks and develop stories not unlike their myths and legends, or even to middle ages Florence, or looking back through his own experiences - there may be clues to the questions that are asked, but there is also the doubts. Who can really say if subjective experiences are small keys to unlock those big doors?
There are a number of really interesting poems, and some I want to highlight are 'Our Discussion', which seems quite Dante-esque ending with an image of the universe - and looking to whatever is beyond it. However, despite a glorious ending there is always the 'usual bleakness' with bonds. There are some things that still haunt, and things still unsaid even in really long, in-depth conversations.
There are poems that do not hide away from the darkness, such as 'The Cavern', where the clever use metaphor relates to the search for truth in knowledge. But all these contemplations and anxieties should take advice from 'The Sage: A Dream':
...Remember that
Everything arises from the Infinite
and everything returns to the Infinite.
And in our search, and our journey through life we are always free
This book is a portrait of a mind never at home with easy ways out, even if they are familiar. It is an excellent collection, worth reading - especially if you enjoy poetry with a philosophical dimension.
The poet is a sensitive, subtle person, alive to the mysteries of life. In poetry themes like this can be explored in abstraction, and the big questions are so often so abstract. But that is not to say that the language here is abstract or obscure - just like there is no a camouflage of natural phrasing to make art seem simple, but a use of images and language that makes contemplations about God, or the infinite, or the universe easy to understand and relate to.
There is a lot of anxiety here. It is the anxiety of having lots of questions but no answers. As such, Manieri seems to look back through history, to the Ancient Greeks and develop stories not unlike their myths and legends, or even to middle ages Florence, or looking back through his own experiences - there may be clues to the questions that are asked, but there is also the doubts. Who can really say if subjective experiences are small keys to unlock those big doors?
There are a number of really interesting poems, and some I want to highlight are 'Our Discussion', which seems quite Dante-esque ending with an image of the universe - and looking to whatever is beyond it. However, despite a glorious ending there is always the 'usual bleakness' with bonds. There are some things that still haunt, and things still unsaid even in really long, in-depth conversations.
There are poems that do not hide away from the darkness, such as 'The Cavern', where the clever use metaphor relates to the search for truth in knowledge. But all these contemplations and anxieties should take advice from 'The Sage: A Dream':
...Remember that
Everything arises from the Infinite
and everything returns to the Infinite.
And in our search, and our journey through life we are always free
This book is a portrait of a mind never at home with easy ways out, even if they are familiar. It is an excellent collection, worth reading - especially if you enjoy poetry with a philosophical dimension.
August 15, 2022
I enjoyed reading Contemplations by Christopher Manieri, as I did his two previous poetry books, Existence and The Voyage. Contemplations is not a collection of verse to be read quickly, but slowly, indeed, to contemplate. His verse reminds the reader that a human is more than a brain on a bony stalk, but a spirit, too. In much modern poetry, the spirit is forgotten. That Christopher Manieri concentrates on the spirit in his verse, I find refreshing. As a poet, he has learned his craft from the old masters. Some of his lines remind me of parts of The Prelude by William Wordsworth. There are references in his lines to eastern religion and philosophy and to Greek philosophy. The only modern poem his poems remind me of is Four Quartets by T.S. Eliot. His use of alliteration is well done and effective.
In one poem, A Pensive Walk, he writes:
"I long innately for more, to finally know
that interior pearl, that bliss of unity."
By being aware of it and by naming it, he has, in a sense, already found "that interior pearl". Indeed, his spiritual search does not lead him to despair, but to hope of unity and final freedom.
In his poem, Canada Geese, he writes of observing a formation of Canada geese as being "tied to the skies and yet gloriously free."
In his verses, he suggests that though he is bound by his body to the world, he can still attain freedom through the release of his spirit. In the last poem in the collection, To Unity, he ends with the lines:
"We're on a homeward voyage back
to bliss. And to unity we shall return."
Contemplations ends on a note of hope, which is a comfort in the broken world we live in. It is a book that would be appreciated by readers who find pleasure in reading philosophical, spiritual verse, written in the high style of the old masters.
In one poem, A Pensive Walk, he writes:
"I long innately for more, to finally know
that interior pearl, that bliss of unity."
By being aware of it and by naming it, he has, in a sense, already found "that interior pearl". Indeed, his spiritual search does not lead him to despair, but to hope of unity and final freedom.
In his poem, Canada Geese, he writes of observing a formation of Canada geese as being "tied to the skies and yet gloriously free."
In his verses, he suggests that though he is bound by his body to the world, he can still attain freedom through the release of his spirit. In the last poem in the collection, To Unity, he ends with the lines:
"We're on a homeward voyage back
to bliss. And to unity we shall return."
Contemplations ends on a note of hope, which is a comfort in the broken world we live in. It is a book that would be appreciated by readers who find pleasure in reading philosophical, spiritual verse, written in the high style of the old masters.
April 1, 2023
(4.5 rounded up!) This beautiful collection earned my love. It's kept me company over months of events, serving as the perfect partner along my journey. As much as these poems resonated now, they would've been even more powerful medicine in my 30s. I couldn't help but recognize what spiritual healing they would've provided at that stage of life. (Heads up to my 30-something friends!)
All told, I loved the themes in this collection and the author's love of language. Like me, he enjoys alliteration, though at times the focus on alliterative word choices could interfere with the thought itself, as if I jumped into his writing brain, distracting me from the flow of his meaning. That said, this tendency didn't interfere with me marking many passages to return to! In fact, I'd intended to pass this along to other readers as I do most books, but I can't bear to part with it. I know I'll be returning to many of the poems.
Much gratitude to this Canadian author for gifting me with a complimentary copy, despite what shipping must've cost to the U.S.! You can bet I will be purchasing his others.
All told, I loved the themes in this collection and the author's love of language. Like me, he enjoys alliteration, though at times the focus on alliterative word choices could interfere with the thought itself, as if I jumped into his writing brain, distracting me from the flow of his meaning. That said, this tendency didn't interfere with me marking many passages to return to! In fact, I'd intended to pass this along to other readers as I do most books, but I can't bear to part with it. I know I'll be returning to many of the poems.
Much gratitude to this Canadian author for gifting me with a complimentary copy, despite what shipping must've cost to the U.S.! You can bet I will be purchasing his others.
August 11, 2022
I've read many of the recommended poets, esp the Western canon ones. And yet, very little of it has been all that enjoyable for me. Perhaps I'm a Cretin when it comes to poetry. Yeah, that's it! I'm a poetic Cretin. Still, I'll always have Geoffry Chaucer and his "Tales". Now that, that was great. Poetry that not only used the best word in the best way, but it made sense. It told a story, it had a plot, and it went somewhere I could hear, see, and know. Even this Cretin brain could feel caught up in that poet's effort. I tried my hand at it once, in English 101, back in the '60s. I couldn't make it work, and my professor confirmed that for me. With much of it, I feel there's a language barrier between the poet and me, his reader. So, I close by reminding the reader, and myself, that the fault is not in the genre, not in the poet, but in this reader. I'll keep trying!
May 13, 2023
Another great gem from Christopher Manieri. CONTEMPLATIONS is satisfying to the mind and gratifying to the soul. It covers all the majestic tracts and stretches of the heart in a delightful, wise depiction and flowing, modulating rhythm of “vers libre.” One may read Manieri’s poems as one’s eager longing to return Home, to be drawn back to the Source, to unite with the Divine, to be embraced in its Wholeness, or simply interpret them as the heart’s painful longing for its deepest, essential, sine qua non Love. They are sagacious, penetrative, spiritual, mystical. As such, we, too, can understand Manieri’s language, the real nature and purpose of his pain, the sanctity and meaning of his yearning that tug at his heart, and thus transcribe them into our hearts. A wonderful read. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
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September 10, 2022Review in progress.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews