Journeys and interrupted journeys are a well established theme in literature. Gustave Von Aschenback's fateful journey back to Venice and his death began with lost luggage. So also with Salvatore Ala's new collection of poems -- his third. Lost luggage and the efforts to find the things of this world retrieved and redeemed are central to Ala's poems. In his new book he presents a unique group of poems about the world of soccer: "The Goalkeeper," "Pele," The Soccer Ball," and others, show Ala's openness and refusal to accept the sterility of modern trends.Lost Luggage has many examples of his unique sense of style, his particular blend of candidness and depth. A rare commodity today.

Salvatore Ala was born in Windsor, Ontario in 1959. He studied philosophy and literature, and has worked at various jobs. His first book, Clay of the Maker, was published by Mosaic Press in 1998. He has also published five broadsides of his work. His poems have appeared in numerous journals; and most recently, in the anthology Sweet Lemons, Writings with a Sicilian Accent, Legas, 2004. Salvatore lives in Windsor with his wife and children.

Salvatore Ala's profile page