In My Cemetery Friends, Vincent J. Tomeo interweaves observation, memoir, poetry and anecdote to create a portrait of himself in relation to the Mount Saint Mary graveyard in Queens, New York.

Tomeo’s mother, aunt, some friends and neighbors are buried in this graveyard, and he visits their graves frequently during his exercise walks throughout the grounds. The poems prompted by these visits are simple and reflective, sometimes affectionate. “Whenever I hold Mama’s slippers/ My heart is filled with warm, sweet joy,” he writes in one poem.

Tomeo honors many Vietnam veterans, paying “homage to all those who gave their last full measure of devotion in defense of our freedom.” A purple heart placed on a tombstone especially captures his attention: “On the grave of a soldier I saw/ a golden medallion gleam in the light/ like lightning in a storm.”

In addition to ruminating about the people buried in Mount Saint Mary’s, Tomeo is fascinated by the living who frequent the cemetery. For instance, a bagpiper goes “from tomb to grave,” playing “tribute to the fallen unsung heroes….” A Filipino family celebrates their dead with a picnic. A small boy arranges toy soldiers on his father’s headstone.

Despite some poignant moments, however, My Cemetery Friends suffers from several flaws. Most of Tomeo’s poetry lacks the heightened language necessary for impact. For instance, “Aunt Flo’s Goodbye,” a poem about suicide (“Aunt Flo had a daughter/ she was a drug addict./ Aunt Flo had leukemia,/ […] She was found hanged!”) is too prosaic to resonate with readers emotionally.

Additionally, the book repeats lines and images from his narrative in his poems. For example, readers are advised in both poem and prose that the author wants “strawberries with whipped cream and champagne” served after his funeral. Likewise, Tomeo exhorts passersby to “Take a Seat” near his would-be grave in verse and in prose.

Because such issues impact the book’s overall effectiveness, revision is required to attract a wide audience.

Also available in hardcover and ebook.