- Paperback: 108 pages
- Publisher: Červená Barva Press (June 24, 2026)
“In The Weight of Certain Moments, Robert Scotellaro once again displays his mastery of the prose poem/micro-story. There’s a brilliantly ironic imagination at play in these pieces, in which a man working at a sky factory attempts to fit celestial bodies into bottles; a father shoots at his son with a gun that fires the American flag; a teenager experiences the consequences of The Bikini Wars, and skydiving honeymooners confess wind-altered secrets. Scotellaro dazzles with his ability to create worlds in a few sentences. Each moment in this book of weighted moments brings us face to face with our human frailties and foibles, but the saving grace is always our stories and our poetry. Scotellaro hits the mark again and again. This book is deeply moving and funny as hell!”
—Jeff Friedman, author of Ashes in Paradise and The Marksman
“The Weight of Certain Moments reminds us that Robert Scotellaro is an absolute master of the narrative prose poem. Eighty-five times, he creates a distinctive voice with odd, but somehow necessary details. Eighty-five times, he manages to surprise. The eccentricity of the speakers and their tales is so cleverly created that the fantastic feels normal. I enjoyed this from beginning to end.”
—Gary Fincke, author of The Corridors of Longing and The History of the Baker’s Dozen
“Every prose poem in The Weight of Certain Moments by Robert Scotellaro opens the door to an original, amazing world: a mother practicing archery in the kitchen, featherless chickens in a hurricane sky, mimes ranting on the street, a salesman selling mistakes door to door… In this extraordinary collection, each poem brings us to pinpoint moments of absolute clarity, evoking epiphanies of wisdom, pain, humor, and understanding. With masterful strokes, Scotellaro’s work beckons us to see, feel, and become part of the moment ourselves. These prose poem gems are wonders to behold and be astonished by.”
—Guy Biederman, author of Here’s Where We Get Off and Edible Grace
“The Weight of Certain Moments is yet another brilliant volume of small resonating tales from a gifted master. Robert Scotellaro’s compassion for his subjects reveals the depth of his understanding and sympathy for what we all experience and feel as we step tentatively through the challenges of being mere mortals in a world which all too often presses in on us. The poetic gems within these covers attests to his keen insights into the foibles and triumphs we all traverse. This recent collection marks another milestone in Scotellaro’s long career as a singular and innovative creative force.”