Marcucio
ANSONIA — Anthony Marcucio has turned his struggle with depression and anxiety into a poetic journey.
The Derby native who now lives in Ansonia with his wife, Elizabeth, and two children, recently self-published his first poetry book, “Reflections of a Shattered Mind.” The 62-poem collection features Marcucio’s personal battle with mental health and his inspirational road to recovery.
Marcucio, 39, hopes his words help put an end to the stigma surrounding mental health.
May, by the way, is Mental Health Awareness Month. Millions of people deal with mental health issues every day. Click here to search for online mental health forums in Connecticut.
If the Marcucio name sounds familiar to Valleyites, Anthony’s parents were the owners of the former Marcucio Gardens. Marcucio himself was a standout wrestler at Derby High School (Class of ’99), where he landed four state CIAC championships.
A few weeks back The Valley Indy spoke with Marcucio about his poetic endeavor.
Valley Indy: What inspired you to write this poetry collection?
Marcucio: “I have been writing poetry since high school. A few years ago, people encouraged me to look into publishing a book. My hope with this collection is that it will inspire people to speak out and talk about mental health. It is such an important topic, but there is still such a stigma surrounding it.”
Valley Indy: Why put your personal experience through depression and anxiety out there?
Marcucio: “The story is my own. I was diagnosed with depression when I was in college. I didn’t understand what was happening to me. It affected my whole life. I failed out of school, I pushed the closest people in my life away, I isolated myself and at the worst of it, had actively suicidal thoughts. Friends and family helped me through the darkest times and I am forever grateful. It is always a fight, but the journey has encouraged me to speak up. I found love with my wife Elizabeth and have been blessed with two beautiful children. I am finishing my degree this semester and even received an award for academic excellence, a far cry from when I was failing out of college.
The cover of Marcucio’s new book of poetry.
Valley Indy: What message do you hope resonates with readers?
Marcucio: “I hope to send the message that it is time to end the stigma surrounding mental health. It is OK to speak up. I hope people never stop chasing their dreams. I was told years ago I would never be good enough to publish a book and in fact, I stopped writing poetry for 15 years because of it. In retrospect, that person may be more responsible for me publishing this book than I realized, because now I hope the message behind the book is even more powerful than it would have been years ago.”
Valley Indy: Can you share a sample of one or two poems in the book?
Marcucio: “The poems are a bunch of different styles, some rhyme, some don’t rhyme. Here are the first two stanzas of two different poems:
“Cleanse My Sins”
Is the monster in the closet
Or is he under my bed
Is he scheming with the demons
Who live inside my head
Praying for a moment of peace
Begging to be exorcised
Dousing me in holy water
To cleanse my sins and lies
Valley Indy: Where can people buy your book?
Marcucio: “People can purchase it on Amazon or through me directly at https://anthonymarcucio.com. People can also send me a message through Facebook at Anthony Marcucio Poetry. There is an eBook available through Apple Books.”
Valley Indy: Who’s your favorite poet?
Marcucio: “Edgar Allan Poe. When you read his work and allow yourself to process it, it gives you a glimpse of the struggles people face with mental health. It is truly very powerful.”
When Marcucio isn’t writing, he works as an IT Service Management Coordinator for The Nature Conservancy. He credits Bon Bon’s Photography and Trinity College graduate Diana Rose Smith for the book’s photography and illustrations, respectively.
