Written during the pandemic and amid his own cancer battle, Vincent J. Tomeo’s poetry collection reflects on fear, isolation and everyday life with humor that feels honest, familiar and deeply human.
-- Vincent J. Tomeo did not sit down to write a book about surviving a pandemic. He also did not intend to write a collection centered on illness, fear or uncertainty. What emerged instead was something quieter and far more personal — a series of poems shaped by strange days, uncomfortable moments and the kind of thoughts people tend to have when the world suddenly slows down.
“The Usefulness of Hippopotamus: A Humorous Chapbook for Trying Times” grew out of that period. Written during the COVID-19 pandemic, the collection captures the awkwardness, frustration and unpredictability many people experienced while confined to their homes and separated from normal routines. Rather than approaching those emotions with dramatic language or heavy reflection, Tomeo leans toward humor, irony and observation.
The book is available now through Amazon and other major online booksellers.
Several poems focus on ordinary moments that became unexpectedly meaningful during lockdown. Tomeo writes about memory, embarrassment, aging and human behavior in a way that feels conversational rather than literary for the sake of sounding literary. Some poems are openly funny. Others carry a quieter sadness underneath the humor. Together, they reflect the emotional contradictions many people felt during those years.
Part of the collection’s charm comes from its refusal to overexplain itself. Tomeo allows awkward situations and small details to speak on their own. That approach gives the poems a natural tone that readers have responded to positively.
The title and spirit of the book were partly inspired by Disney’s “Fantasia,” particularly the famous dancing hippopotamus scene that stayed with Tomeo over the years. The image reminded him that humor and absurdity can still exist even when life becomes difficult or uncertain.
While working on the collection, Tomeo was also undergoing treatment for bladder cancer. Instead of making that struggle the emotional centerpiece of the book, he folds it into the writing with honesty and restraint. Moments connected to illness appear naturally throughout the poems, often balanced with wit or reflection rather than despair.
That balance between vulnerability and humor has become one of the strongest connections readers say they have with the collection.
One Amazon reviewer described the poems as “witty” and “accessible,” noting that Tomeo combines surreal humor with personal experience in a way that highlights the emotional relief laughter can provide during stressful times.
Another reader, Amy K., said the collection succeeds because it finds joy in situations many people would normally see only as discouraging.
“The poems in this collection exude lightheartedness and uncover beauty and joy in challenging circumstances,” she wrote. “Tomeo’s writing style is engaging and accessible, filled with wit, whimsy and clever wordplay.”
A third reviewer, Charlene, said the collection stayed with her emotionally after reading it.
“This book was really good for the soul,” she wrote. “It makes you think and reflect while also helping you see humor in difficult situations.”
Tomeo has spent decades writing and publishing poetry, essays and literary works while also working as an educator in New York City’s public school system. Beyond writing, he is also known for his work as a historian, archivist and community activist.
Over the course of his career, more than 1,000 of his works have appeared in newspapers, journals and anthologies in the United States and internationally. His writing often explores memory, resilience and the everyday experiences that connect people across different backgrounds and generations.
With “The Usefulness of Hippopotamus,” Tomeo does not attempt to offer grand lessons about hardship or healing. Instead, the collection simply reminds readers that even in difficult periods of life, people still search for connection, honesty and reasons to laugh.
The book is currently available in digital format through Amazon and other online retailers.
About the Author
Vincent J. Tomeo is a New York-based poet, historian, archivist and former educator whose work has appeared in literary publications throughout the United States and abroad for decades.
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