When I was first presented the task of editing and preparing this compelling collection of poems, I felt rather like Max Brod, both friend and champion. Certainly none could ever claim that Jim Goldiner has ever embraced self-promotion and his work, therefore, is scarcely known to the public except for previous publication in a few poetry journals, having remained until now an undiscovered treasure. The title, "Cracks in the Concrete" aptly reflects the core thematic material seen throughout this difficult but intriguing collection, tempered by Goldiner's experiences in the merchant navy and as a long time New York City Social Worker, while the poems range from poetic descriptions of human despair to wry and marginally black humor. It can be said that the poetry taken as a whole, follows down the well trodden path laid out by Kierkegaard and Camus, chronicling the lives of those who have truly fallen between the cracks. Stewart Rein, Lotus Press