Giovanni was one of the kindest and sincerest men I met in my life. He was that way as long as I have known him, long before he had cancer: he didn't require the insights afforded by impending death to motivate him to be kind to people. Also he was a wonderful example of fatherhood. He demonstrated that a man can be as effective a hands-on parent as any woman. Hopefully someday we will reach the point where Giovanni's style of fatherhood passes for being unremarkable.

Giovanni was as astute an editor as he was a poet. His delicate domestic poems were always moving as well as being exacting in their honesty and lyrical dexterity. His passing leaves a gulf in the Irish (as well as Canadian) literary scene.

Giovanni Malito was a very active poet. His work appeared in so many places (beyond haiku magazines) that it was often a pleasant surprise to see his name in contributor lists for journals that I might not have even guessed he knew about. He was a poet's poet, dedicated to his craft, as well as a diligent marketer of his work. It will be disappointing to no longer be surprised by seeing his poetry in expected — and unexpected — places.

The news of Giovanni Malito's death is very unwelcome. He was a poet/editor who would have helped all of us find new directions over the coming decades. He came over as young and lively, yet serious at the same time. Although I never met him, I expected I would do some day.

I am glad that I printed two poems by Giovanni in Poetry Scotland — 'In the Smoky Pub' and an untitled poem — in issues 8 and 14. Ian also letterpress-printed him some envelopes when we were running our Campaign for Decent Sized Return Envelopes. Like Steve Sneyd, who also got letterpress envelopes, Giovanni must have written to comment on our gimmick. Ian had quite a job setting up Brobdingnagian in type!

I am now collecting up my copies of Brobdig which have been scattered among my papers, and I will carefully keep them as a memorial to someone I very much respected.

Giovanni Malito, a fellow poet, zine publisher, contributor to Blackbird ,will be missed. Blackbird will publish commemorations in its 2004 issue.

Giovanni Malito was an occasional reviewer for PQR (Poetry Quarterly Review). Reviews by him have appeared in issues 14, 19 and 20. I knew him as someone who could give a balanced insight into a collection of poetry, often with humour. He was professional and understanding in producing copy within the paramaters needed by our production; an editor's dream! As our correspondence was minimal, related to reviewing, his death highlights the extent to which one aspect of a person may be revealed in reviewing work with no information about the rest of their life being given yet something through which they can be known and remembered. Thank you Giovanni.

I knew Giovanni for a number of years, but we never met. I greatly valued his contributions to Links, both his poems and his reviews. He helped make my life as editor more rewarding. He was a nice guy, an excellent poet. His going such beggars us all.

Giovanni sent subtle, non-pretentious work, poems with a wry side-swipe — often at himself. Will miss his input.

He was amazingly prolific, and his best work was excellent. I'm also aware that his haiku and tanka were only a relatively small percentage of his total writing. He was a consistent supporter of Presence for a long time, and although we never really corresponded on a personal level, I'll miss him very much as a writer.

Through Giovanni's work as a writer and publisher it's easy to get a picture of a modest but intelligent guy who had real insight; someone with heart and humour, who wasn't afraid to say it as he saw it. I never met him but we exchanged letters for a few years. I'm sure I'll be one of many who miss him.

He had been regularly appearing in almost every small poetry magazine in India just as our regular poems and haiku have appeared together in many international journals. When our common friend, Sam Cucchiara of Slugfest, visited Dhanbad, he told about Giovanni's excellence and personal life. Now both have left this world. Though Giovanni and I never wrote to each other, I recognised him as a great spirit, very good poet, and excellent human being, who was a world citizen. In his passing we have lost a really strong and committed good poet.

I have always admired Giovanni's work, and his dedication to the writing community. We corresponded for some time during the 90s and were amused to see our poems appear, several times, in the same issues of journals, sometimes on facing pages. We planned to meet during one of his visits to Toronto but it didn't work out. I am deeply saddened by his untimely death and I send my sincere condolences to his family. Giovanni, may you live on in your offspring and your words.

I am Giovanni's cousin, I lived with or near Gio for all of my life and knew him and loved him deeply. I miss him everyday since he has been gone and I know I will continue to miss him as long as I live. There was no one kinder or more understanding than Gio, I know, we grew up together. I lost a part of me when he died. Gio was always talking about the greatest loves of his life, his kids, Sara and Ben.

May God bless all who have put tributes on this page.

Giovanni was my second cousin, and I've always called him John. Although I only saw him on special occassions or visits, he has left an indelible impression on my life. He was always so positive and supportive — a character trait both his parents, Sara and Carmine, and his brother Peter also share. I always felt at home with John, and looked forward to his visits. I noticed how many tributes on your site are from writers, and I realize how much John's writing is a most sincere and beautiful representation of his spirit: humble, joyful, hopeful, witty and ironic in the most delightful way. Thankfully that writing lives on as a testament to his great talent and insight.

I don't think it has really set in that John is gone. Of all the ways he will be remembered, I will always think on his warmth, his sense of humour and his generosity. My thoughts are with him often, as well as with his wife Suzanne, and their wonderful children Ben and Sarah.

he was one of my first and abiding, haiku and tanka inspirations. i revered him beyond telling:

	cold rain  .  .  . 
	yet, just before morning
	this one shone
	bright as any star
	in the black velvet sky