The Last Stop

"Frederick Pheiffer is a Norman Rockwell of the printed page. His poems, like Rockwell's paintings, do much more than merely depict a scene. Commonly, they evoke an earlier era and its distinctive ethos. This way of life emphasized personal honor, individual responsibility, honest toil and wholesome entertainment. In The Last Stop with an economy of expression and a supple mastery of context and detail, Pheiffer takes his reader on a journey of recollection that is neither sen-timental nor rueful. This journey is, quite simply, truthful. When Pheiffer applies his artistry to the present, there is often an edge of sadness. All the same, there is never a wail of despair. Whatever the time frame, there remains a sense of proportion. The subjects of The Last Stop are not larger than life. Rather, they reflect the reality of seem-ingly ordinary people, whose inner nobility elevates them above the inci-dentals of status, condition, or rank. With such individuals, Pheiffer dis-plays a remarkable empathy. He also finds ample room in his art for an appreciation of "all creatures great and small." A method marks Pheiffer's work: it pervades his entire canon. He begins with the commonplace, the readily recognizable, something that is, quite often, literally workaday. Then he links it to something that transcends the commonplace, such as familial bonds that resist the erosions of fleet-ing time and changing circumstance. Finally, he allows a universal veri-ty to shine forth. Whatever the venue - be it factory, nursing home, or church sanctuary, Pheiffer depicts and celebrates the dignity of the human person created in the image of God. To this truth beyond all truths, The Last Stop stands as a robust and heartfelt testament." -Professor Emeritus Edward J. McBride St. Mary's University, Halifax, Nova Scotia Frederick Pheiffer was born in Easton, PA, grew up in Oxford, NJ. After high school, he worked in a factory, construction, and drove a soda delivery truck. Two years later, he entered St. Francis College, Loretto, PA, graduating in 1964. He received a M.A. degree from Boston College in 1966. He continued his studies for a doctorate at SUNY/Albany. He worked for the New York State Legislature, retiring in 1999. He and his wife live in rural upstate New York and dedicate much of their time and energies to caring for their rescued dogs and horses.