Monday, July 1, 2019

John Stoeffler - Poems to Soothe the Soul


John Stoeffler’s life has been governed by three guiding principles: his unshakable faith, his love of family, and his reverence for the freedom that is his birthright as a citizen of this country. In a world that sometimes seems to be going crazy, this St. Petersburg writer has penned a collection of poems that reads like an oasis of sanity. God, Family, Freedom celebrates the things that make life worthwhile. 

Stoeffler, a Missouri native, graduated from Pennsylvania Military College (now Widener University) and served in the army from 1964-1966, spending 13 months in Korea. After being discharged, he married his artist wife, Linda, and went to work for General Electric. He retired in 2003, and thirteen years later decided to move to Florida to downsize and be near his daughter and her family. “The things I like best about living in Florida are the opportunities related to writing, new friends, and meeting regularly with fellow veterans,” he says. 

Stoeffler became interested in writing when he lived in Missouri. “I started writing letters to the editor of the St. Louis Globe Democrat on a regular basis, and many were published,” he recalls. “Then the Suburban Newspapers, a weekly publication, offered me the opportunity to submit columns on a regular basis. Before long, I was writing weekly commentaries and op-eds that dealt with subjects from politics to humor to views on everyday life.” 

From there, Stoeffler branched out to writing and composing country songs. “Lyrics are actually a form of poetry,” he explains.The lyrics of several of the songs have made their way into God, Family, Freedom.  Among these are “You’ll Always Be My Little Girl,” written for his daughter’s wedding, and “I Spell Love Y-O-U” which he penned for his wife on their 25th wedding anniversary.

God, Family, Freedom is Stoeffler’s first published book. He got the idea after a presentation he made to a veteran’s group. He read “I Am America,” a poem he wrote as a commentary piece, and “June 6, ’44” a poem that commemorates D-Day, and several vets suggested he put together a collection of his poetry. “I liked the proposal,” Stoeffler says, “and the rest is history.” He spent a year and a half composing the 56 poems that comprise God, Family, Freedom. “The hardest part was coming up with a subject and then rewriting and rewriting and rewriting,” he says, “but I enjoy the personal reward of accomplishment and seeing others enjoy the stories I tell through my poetry.”

According to Stoeffler, there are several things that set God, Family, Freedom apart from other poetry collections. “Too much that is written today is dark,” he says. “My poems will bring a smile and maybe a laugh. There are a couple of them that, like an O. Henry story, will surprise you at the end. And some may bring a tear of joy.” Each poem is accompanied by a picture or photo intended to draw the reader into the subject. In addition, the book’s cover is from an original picture painted by Stoeffler’s wife, Linda. 

Stoeffler hopes his poems will touch the reader’s heart by bringing back fond memories. “Virtually every poem will have meaning to the reader, as they describe many common experiences, he says. “In these troubled times, God, Family, Freedom is meant to be a beacon of hope and joy.”


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