Rites of Passage

Author: Mark Magro

A rite of passage is an event that marks progress from one stage of life to another – birthdays, marriage, baptism, confirmations, first sex and first time alone behind the wheel of a car are among the most common milestones in Western civilization.

Those events are important, but mostly because they are also very clear landmarks between “then” and “now.” By elevating those special events, we often miss the little moments in between, the subtle thoughts that make up most of our waking lives and bring richness to our experience.

To honor those missing moments, poet Mark Magro has chosen to title his work “Rites of Passage,” encapsulating a collection of reflections on war and religion, love and sanity, imagination and soul, and power and nature. The sections thematically explore the nuances of these powerful and symbolic concepts, as Magro attempts to find a true passage to enlightenment. Or, as he puts it, “an individual on a journey, I expose myself to the elements.”