Memory of Mosaic Moments Paperback – February 5, 2026

Darretta’s latest book of poems is accessible, relatable and evocative. If you want to appreciate the lyrical word, but are easily intimidated by poetry, Memory of Mosaic Moments is a beautiful place to start.—Yvonne deSousa, author, MS Madness!and Shelter of the MonumentJohn Lawrence Darretta was my English professor at Iona College. All these decades later, I still vividly recall how smart and sassy (think charming) he was — just two reasons Darretta was so beloved by his students. Yet, I had no idea the depth and breadth of Darretta’s command of the written word. His poems do more than make him instantly recognizable as a true poet. Here is a genuine sense of style, where brevity marries bravura. Darretta’s ear for cadence reaches out and touches the reader in a real sense of lyrical style.—Alan W. Petrucelli, author, Morbid Curiosity: The Disturbing Demises of the Famous and InfamousandLiza Liza! An Unauthorized Biography of Liza Minelli,former entertainment reporter for CBS Radio NetworkThe true poet always cultivates a mysterious ability to see “deep down things,” as Gerard Manley Hopkins put it. That is one of John Lawrence Darretta’s gifts. You will be swept along by his images and rhythms, by his daring conjunctions of words — but more important, he enables you to see below the surface. You will want to read and re-read these lyrics. They stick in the mind and go deeply into the heart.—Donald Spoto, New York Times bestselling author of 29 books, including biographies of Alfred Hitchcock, Tennessee Williams, Ingrid Bergman, and Joan of Arc Read more