The Poetry of Richard Pernice No one is an island. The people around us - our family, friends, and even strangers - influence our identity, whether we are aware of it or not. As they cross our paths, they shape our growth and character. Sometimes, they even spark our aspirations and passions. This is a collection of poems, reflections, and aphorisms emerging from Richard Pernice's decades of experience in the military and the trucking industry. His words harken back to love found and love lost, as well as changes in life: child to adult, son to father, and battles to victories. Life is all about experience and not being afraid of adventure. You can't understand a book without opening it and starting to read. You can't describe a sculpture without walking all the way around it. So it is with life. Sometimes the most important moments are found along the edges of the journey we take. If we aren't careful, we'll miss the best moments. Go with Richard on a journey of life, and find precious moments and jewels of time in his book of poetry, Echoes and Pieces of Time