Ellipsism by Alex Zivic is a collection of poetry that is an exquisite work of emotional fragments. The words brush the pages haphazardly just as they enter the mind, here and there, in the center, at the bottom. The way the words hit the pages feels incredibly organic; another dimension that I’ve never quite witnessed before, but one that I understand innately. There is an undercurrent, a circulation of emotion that pushes the poetry up and out. The black and white images striking out just as prominently as the poetry does creates a gut impact that continues to sit with you long after the first read-through. An image on page 21 depicts numerous skulls with shadows of arms, along with more flesh-filled arms lifting a larger skull. There were so many different reactions to this one image that I didn’t expect to have, and such a story all on its own in this single art piece. The images themselves tie in expertly with the poetry as well, giving an added layer of construction to the ultimate creation that is Alex Zivic’s Ellipsism.

Alex Zivic’s Ellipsism is not your standard poetry collection. It exists outside the boundaries of what people might refer to as “conventional” and that is where the best art and composition live. A few lines that I gravitated to were on page 33: “It was/ A shot in the dark,/ but I hit it.” Zivic’s ability to take an old expression and infuse it with life again with only a few words, while still creating a swift impact, clearly showcases some of that artistic ability that you will be privy to once you start reading Ellipsism on page one.

How can a heart filled with hopes and desires become void? Was it all an illusion? Ellipsism by Alex Zivic contains poems aimed at helping readers create their own definitions of the word "ellipsism." The book contains pictures that make it easier to envision the words and themes of pain, loss, heartbreak, eternity, acceptance, and more. One of the first poems, The Concept of Why, questions why we love when we know it will come to an end. Presence takes the reader's mind away from the past and the future and directs them to focus on the current moment; it is a poem about experiencing what is and not what was or what will be. Prepare to be wowed by the beautiful and solemn poems in Ellipsism.

Alex Zivic puts feelings into words with incredible attention to detail and a skillful way of making words come to life and become visual. The Beach and Me is a perfect example of this, with words like "The ocean sings" and "Under the moon we pray together." The well-crafted and eloquent poems transported me into a deep oasis, right from the beginning to the end, and I was able to look at my life and the world with a different, all-encompassing view. There are several pages with a few explosive sentences as if to allow the audience to fill the pages with their own meanings. The poems are quite relatable since they feel highly original as if they are inspired by the author's personal experiences. Ellipsism would resonate with people who have been through one painful experience or another, especially people suffering from a broken heart. What an unforgettable, phenomenal experience!

Ellipsism by Alex Zivic is a poetry collection that focuses on a unique theme: the melancholy of missing out on the future, a theme clearly defined on the opening page. The poems evoke a constant longing that haunts the human spirit and a lasting resonance of the existential questions that excite the mind of the poet. In “The Concept of Why” he questions: “Why? / I’d often ask / Why do we love? / Why do we live just to die? / And if we’ve already known the ending, then why?” Alex Zivic’s poetry explores the perennial inclination to flight that burdens hearts under the existential weight of the moment. The verses are insightful and intuitive, and there is a strong appreciation of how one can worry so much about the future to the point that they neglect what happens in the present.

The short lines of his poetry are condensed, indicative of the workings of a mind that slips between many different things. At times, these are one word, and then readers are trapped in a page with a single line, a sentence open to multiple interpretations, thought-provoking, or simply revelatory. This collection is a work of art that takes the human experience of loss and melancholy and weaves it into poetry that will resonate in the hearts of readers. While the themes are mostly spiritual and existential, Alex provides strong imagery, like the experience of waves crashing “into me when I crash into you,” an image that captures the explosion of human intercourse and love. The tone is melancholic, but it depicts the humanity of the persona with vividness. These poems are captivating in both their tone and form and, most essentially, in the refined diction. Ellipsism presents emotions that most readers are familiar with, the sense of loss of what is not yet there. With words that are pregnant in meaning and symbolism, Alex Zivic makes an offering that will delight poetry lovers.