Poetry in the Key of Truth

About the Book

This book was five years in writing and includes over ten years of notes written when I was drowning in the incredibly painful and complicated morass of drug and alcohol addiction. Some of the most powerful emotions that I, as a human being, have ever felt were recorded on whatever paper that was around at the time. I swore to God that if I survived and didn’t totally lose my mind like so many around me did that I would tell anyone who would listen what it’s like to lose yourself completely to the “demon of nothingness,” as I call it, because it has the ability to transform all that you possess into nothing, nada, zilch, so fast that your mind can’t process it. There were times so depressing and painful when the thought of living through another day was a bad option. I wrote when I went into rehab and about what it took to find myself again. I wrote about the joy of recovery and the fight to have it and to keep it. I also write about hypocrisy, as I see it. While living on the “other side” of society, I was constantly exposed to “bullshit” of every kind. You name it, I’ve heard it, seen it, and probably done it. I’ve seen and played all the games. So now I’m allergic and when I encounter the “bullshit” and “game” out here, I write about it, try to expose it. Though I’m not the best Christian in this world, I do believe in God and the church. In my deepest despair, I not only wanted to die, I wanted my very soul to die too. I wrote about these things too. I’ve tried to include the outlook of “live and let live” in my poetry. Some things are whimsical, some about love, some are political, some dead serious. All of it, “my music.” Howard R. Logan, Jr.

About the Author

About the author I now reside in Rochester New York, my birth place, after a move to Michigan where I made my home for almost twenty years. I accompanied and drove lifelong friend Ellen Ashford, who is a renowned novelist and publisher, from Michigan to Rochester to pick up Nikil Johnson-Grahm, a master poet and cousin of Ellen’s, then drive to New York City for the Harlem Book Fair every year. After sampling the atmosphere and after rubbing elbows with famous novelists and poets, I became interested at trying my hand at serious writing, a lifelong dream of mine. With an ever growing family, there was never enough time to seriously pursue this as a career. After retiring I was encouraged by Nikil and Ellen to finally live my dream. I began writing in 2005 and haven’t stopped yet. Writing has become my window to the world. More importantly, I feel that my children will finally have a reason to be proud of their father. I would also like to thank Veronica McNeil-Logan for her belief and support. This book was five years in the making and her push in the right direction helped me to not only to finish it but to get on with the real business of getting it “out there.” Peace be with you, Howard R. Logan Jr.