The 76 poems in this contemporary poetry collection,

A New Life by Ralph Dranow,

offer us a unique and compassionate view of what it is to be human.

In this collection, the old life becomes the new life through the poet's discovery of the mystery and wonder that lie just beneath the surface of our everyday lives.

Poet Ralph Dranow's A New Life invites readers into a world where everyday moments become extraordinary through the poet's compassionate and observant eye. This captivating collection weaves together vivid narratives of childhood memories, chance encounters, and quiet revelations that illuminate the human experience in all its complexity.

“I have always loved Ralph's poems, since the first day I met him at the start of this century. We sat at a local coffee house shyly sniffing each other out, each of us having brought along, by agreement, some writing to share as a way of getting to know each other. A tall, athletic, good-looking man with shyness peeking out from his smile, he brought, for his part, a sheaf of typewritten poems and shared some with me from across the table.” — From the Foreword by Naomi Rose

From a family playing Frisbee in the park to a homeless man standing serenely in the rain, Dranow's subjects are rendered with remarkable empathy and precision. His wonderfully accessible poems celebrate the forgotten and overlooked — the toll taker with a warming smile, the man who photographs buses, the elderly sharing their wisdom in assisted living. Each poem opens a window into lives seldom seen but universally recognizable.

Organized into three sections — "Childhood," "Cats and Other People," and "A New Life" — the collection traces a journey from the poet's Bronx childhood through the varied terrain of adult relationships, ultimately arriving at a place of spiritual awakening and gratitude for life's simple marvels.

Written in accessible, unadorned language that pulses with authenticity, these contemporary poems speak directly to the heart. Dranow's work reminds us that poetry isn't just found in grand gestures but in the humble moments that make up our days — washing dishes, helping someone with their socks, noticing a rainbow in a gutter, or listening to the invisible orchestra that accompanies our lives.

People on the fringe of society reveal their humanity and touch the poet's heart, as do ordinary people doing seemingly ordinary things, whose goodness could easily be overlooked except for the poet's discerning glance.

A father spending hours looking for his young daughter's toy in “Professor of Patience” achieves a modest nobility, as does the family sloppily but joyfully playing Frisbee in the park in “Happiness.”