Inside Out Heart: Volume 1

This is a poetic exploration of what it means for a son to care for his father in his final year of life, and what then arises after. After his father was diagnosed with cancer, the author became his primary carer. During the challenges of this final year, as his father lay bedridden, the author sought solace in poetry. These poems journey a broad field, from childhood remembrances, to family life, wilderness, the nursing home and beyond. Nature symbols fill this work, as does a sense of wonder, and awe. Written from the unique perspective of a son, and carer, Inside Out Heart draws us into the room. We witness the confronting challenges of suffering from a debilitating terminal illness, the heartache, the struggles and the magic that comes at the time of easing away from the life that has been. A clear account of the unfolding of a family's confrontation with cancer. From the beginning of the year, the hope for recovery, the depression when rehab stops, and the slow, gradual deterioration that has to be lived through. You will discover the pain and sorrow that only a terminal illness can bring. But, by persevering you will also come across that ever burning light of love, of soul, that remains with us no matter the circumstances. Come on this journey, not easy, but which we all must take.