Passing Time

About the Book

“Inner Need” This introduction to my book, I hope will make you further look, To look inside my poems to read, To see what life my mind did feed. Some life events in which I engage, I found a need to write on the page, Those were the times I had an urge, Upon the page my thoughts to purge. Poems in this book I wrote for me, And if you look within to see, I think inside you well may find, A memory lost brought back to mind. Want you to know this introduction, Not meant to be a sales seduction, Your curiosity was meant to attract, In hope with the book you’d interact. But if this effort somehow does fail, And with not to read you do prevail, If time in this book you don’t invest, I still want to wish you the very best! Tony Melli

About the Author

I was born at the Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. My parents moved from Chicago when I was 2 weeks old to New York State where I was raised in Rochester, NY. I was the 2nd youngest in a family of 6 children. I had 3 older sisters, an older brother and a younger sister. When I was 16, I was a little headstrong and ran away from home. I was on my way to Canada but spend the night at a hotel near the bus station in Buffalo, NY. That evening I was in a White Tower all night restaurant and ran into a friend of my father’s who recognized me and came over to talk to me. He lectured me to return home telling me he would convince my parents to sign for me to enlist in the Army when I turned 17, which was only a short time away. He called my parents and I did return home and did enlist. The recruiting station was somehow aware of my arrival and all went quickly with my entry into the United States Army Air Corp that was then in the process of changing to the United States Air Force. I remained in the Air Force for almost 29 years, retiring with the rank of Lt. Colonel. As an enlisted man I served as a Airborne Radio Operator/Mechanic and rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant before entering the Navigation Cadet Program at Harlingen Air Force Base, Texas. I was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant and was a Navigator on WB-29s flying over the Pacific from McClellan AFB in Sacramento, California. From there I went into the Pilot Training Program at Marana Air Base just north of Tucson, Arizona. I was married in Harlingen, Texas and presently am blessed with 3 daughters, 3 sons-in-law, and 6 grandchildren; 4 young ladies and 2 young gentlemen. My military experience is a significant factor on how I view the meaning of life. A much bigger factor however, is my marriage, present family life, friendships, and mixed Spiritual beliefs. I have thought in rhyme for as long I can remember but began to save my poetry, primarily, during my tour of duty in Vietnam.