When we were deployed to serve in the Iraq war, my fellow comrades and I were weary and wanted to find ways to stay mentally focused on the mission we were given. A fellow comrade suggested we write poetry to unleash any thoughts that may hinder our survival. I had never written poetry before, but when I was told that “poetry was all about expression”, I gave it a try. As a result, I discovered that writing poetry allowed me to channel my energy and I wrote 22 expressions. Our poetry nights inspired the birth of The Issue is in the Poem, a compilation of poetry written by some of my comrades who served with me and who allowed me to put their feelings in print.

I had very specific ideas about what I wanted to book to look like and the experience I wanted readers to get from reading the poems, so I decided to self-publish. The lay-out of the book includes pictures taken in Iraq which serve as wallpaper for the poetry. The most important pieces, in my opinion, in the book are the messages written by each contributor about what their particular expressions were about.  There is always an element of mystery in poetry that allows readers to interpret the poems the way they see fit.  However, I wanted to take the guess work out of it and give readers the motivation behind the expressions.  

Since the release of The Issue is in the Poem, I have read been recognized by Wishing Well, Inc. a non-profit organization, in Hyattsville, and by Faith*Hope*Love*Charity, Inc. a non- profit organization in Palm Springs, FL for bringing more awareness to the mental health of veterans serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Both organizations have the goal of servicing homeless and traumatized veterans.