Growth

Synopsis: With Growth, the reader follows the evolution of a person through the phases of his life. From a teenager/young man who lost his father when he was 12 to a middle-aged man with some wear and tear. He didn't fully know how to show his feelings. To this day, as an older man, the author still doesn't always know how to show his feelings. But poetry is an outlet, a sort of safety valve. The level of sophistication from Immaturity increases in style and substance in what follows through further Maturing and Continued Maturation.

Autobiography: A.A. Winston, also known as Russ Haddad, has had a full range of life experiences, starting with the death of his father when he was 12 years old. Poetry became his form of coping through life's ups and downs. He took a long hiatus from writing poetry as he embarked on a variety of professional pursuits, from radio to journalism to community development, and personal changes from divorce to remarriage. A.A. rediscovered his enjoyment of putting words to paper to express himself and decided to publish his works to share his feelings in hopes others would relate.