Last month, I released Route Seven Revisited, a revised compilation of my first two books. You can read more about it here.
I released Route Seven because it had been a while since the last time I published. I had changed in that time and wanted to reflect such in my work.
A major reason for this was that I was finishing a project I had begun a few years back… my next book of original poems, CYCLONE.
Well, now that CYCLONE is out, I’d like to tell you a little bit about it.
I began work on CYCLONE back in 2021 intending to release it in September of the following year. It was at a time when writing poetry was a big part of my creative effort, as signaled by State of Vulnerability and The Abject Head which came out a year apart.
But I never did release CYCLONE on schedule because, as it’s always bound to, life changed.
On January 9th, 2022, I boarded a plane for London and, with that, moved to Europe. It was a decision brought about for many reasons, namely the loss of my job back in northern Virginia (which I’ve already written about to some degree).
This move took a lot of time and energy away from CYCLONE, causing it to slowly move to the back burner.
But now enough time has passed. I’ve settled in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and have been blessed with a good and consistent rhythm out here. As that happened, I found that aforementioned time and energy returning, eventually to the point where I was able to get back to CYCLONE and get it done.
In doing so, I learned a lot. One of the biggest differences was that I was different from the person who wrote CYCLONE’s predecessors. Taste, style, and, above all, outlook had shifted and I found myself trying to account for that while also staying true to the original aim of the book.
And what, you might be wondering, is that aim? Well, I’m happy you asked!
My first two books were introspective. CYCLONE is a pretty big departure from that and that was the intention from the start.
This book focuses almost exclusively on larger events in the culture around us, particularly the growing polarization we’ve seen in recent years.
That’s a bit of a challenging thing because how do you respond to an ongoing cultural crisis that countless other voices (a good number of them far more experienced and talented than I) already have?
By responding in your unique way I guess.
That’s what I saw my friend Linda do this past August when she released her album, Deep Brain Stimulator. I think specifically of my favorite track “The Barkers” in which Linda used her talent for songwriting, feelings about the moment, and personal voice to make a very creative and compelling critique of what we’re currently witnessing.
Such an approach has been a great encouragement to me. And, with it in mind, that’s how I present CYCLONE: My observation not only of the current polarization but also the timeless spirit behind it.
Because, Lord knows, we aren’t the first generation to be at each other’s throats.
More than that, though, CYCLONE is a book dealing with spiritual formation, a topic I’ve grown more and more interested in over the last three years.
I hope these poems will help us critically examine and contemplate the formative process these culture wars are putting us through. It’s my hope that, from there, we will seek the “Better Way” as an answer to these timeless conflicts.
Things are continuing to heat up. The situation is growing increasingly untenable. Last month, in his final address to the UN, President Biden stated that the world is facing an “inflection point”. He’s absolutely right and we need to make a decision in the face of that…
…and I’m pretty darn convinced the prevailing camps of Left and Right aren’t the answer. The evidence ain’t far.
All cards on the table, this book emphasizes the Way of Jesus as the answer to all this polarization.
I’m not here to force anything on anyone. Consider and contemplate, that’s all.
It’s certainly the case that followers of Jesus aren’t immune to polarization. History AND current events testify to that. But when I write “Way of Jesus”, I’m not talking about what flawed people have made of it. I’m talking about the person and teachings of the man himself.
And what was his response to the polarization of his day? To show a love that subverts and surprises the systems of man. And, dang, did it catch on.
Now perhaps the book will have another meaning to you. That’s fine. Such is the nature of the whole thing. I just hope my words can strike a chord, regardless of where you come from or what you believe in. Sometimes it’s just nice to read poetry.
Anyway, I hope this post was able to generate some form of intrigue. If it has, follow it! Because CYCLONE is now available for purchase on Amazon in the United States, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and more.
Blessings to you! And remember… It was spring in Shenandoah when the Cyclone rolled in.
Interested in how you can help support my work? Here are a few ways…
US Specific:
Venmo (@Jon-DiNovo)
WEC USA giving information can be found here.
EU Specific:
Tax Deductible Donation via WEC NL: NL98 ABNA 0426 839 536 t.n.v. stichting WEC Nederland o.v.v. Jon DiNovo Rotterdam
Direct Donation: NL31 ABNA 0121 7988 28
General: