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This book offers readers a unique look into not only the military but also poetry’s healing power and the respite the craft offers. The author shares that, particularly during his time at West Point, “Poetry became my voice to express what I had to suppress, the part that longed for connection and struggled with loneliness.” Readers also gain insight into aspects of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the leadership and interpersonal skills required for such operations. While the book is a reflection on the author’s journey to becoming a poet, it is also an intimate look at the life-altering situations that forever re-shape people’s outlooks on themselves, their careers, and even the world. Life and death converge in these pages, and readers follow one soldier’s professional, personal, and poetic journey. They also see how once a person becomes a poet, it is simply impossible to see life through any other lens.
This book is a story of personal development, personal healing, and personal reckoning. It echoes works like Michael Ramos’ The After in its portrayal of a soldier’s existence both downrange and on the home front. Its emotional power lies in its deep intimacy about subjects like mental health and counseling. That deep intimacy also makes the book a brave exploration of the self and one’s self-awareness. It is also a testament to literature’s meditative and transformative capacities, since it invokes writers like Tolkien by using commanding epigraphs from great literary works. This book arrives at a critical time, too, especially as the role of and necessity of the humanities in both people’s lives and in society is under scrutiny. For readers who enjoy the works of writers like Brian Turner and Hugh Martin, this book will be an intriguing read.