I was at a Southwest Writers meeting recently and I told the people sitting at the same table as myself that my forthcoming book, In Letting Go, is darkly themed poetry. One person asked me what that means.
I mistakenly said, "that life sucks."
I don't believe life sucks and my book isn't about that. But what is it about?
Some of the poems in In Letting Go seem straightforward enough. The first chapter, The Abyss of Time, has poems about growing older, about the evil that lurks within each one of us, and about failure and doubt. Many of the others in this chapter are expressing my views on life, on the government's mismanagement of their duty, and the plight of the average human being.
The second chapter, Realm of the Dead, is focused on death, which, as a 63-year-old, is an especially interesting subject to me.
I'm not sure how many years I have left in me.
I can feel the weight of those years as they press upon me, and it feels like time takes an unbelievable toll in so many ways, both mentally and physically. And while I realize that some people don't live long--they might not make it to their first birthday--for those of us fortunate to experience a long life, we also get to analyze our journey through it.
So the second chapter is focused on what death means to me, and in many ways, to all of humanity.
The third and last chapter, And So It Is With Heroes, is about a fantasy realm. Its poems are about places and people and what's happening as they fight the evil that not only surrounds them, but also lies within each of their hearts.
In Letting Go isn't about one thing. It's about life and death in a world where most things aren't simply black and white. And it's about a fantasy realm where nothing is black and white. It's about my journey and perspectives and outlook on life. And while I'm sure much of it can be appreciated by others because we are all connected in many ways, some of it is very personal.
In Letting Go releases on October 1st, 2024, a month from today. It will be available from all major booksellers.
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