Revision of a Man

by Matt Smyth

Probably more today than any other time in American history, the definition of what it means or what it takes to "be a man" is a moving target. The tension between masculinity and vulnerability is fiercely obvious in the issue-driven, sound-bite culture we live in.

One is strong, one is weak. One leads, one follows. One is American, one is less-than.

Revision of a Man is a reconciliation with the shifting path of fatherhood, military service, a love of the outdoors, addiction, sobriety, depression, recovery, anger, and peace. The poetry and the prose are a stake in the ground that insists, a man is not one or the other. He is all of them.

Genres: Poetry

88 pages, Paperback

Published May 1, 2022

Reviews

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

REVISION OF A MAN (ROAM) is a beautifully written and thought-provoking read. I was blown away by the author’s ability to create such detailed and captivating imagery throughout his collection of poems. Several times I found myself highlighting a particular sentence or section of verse that jumped off the page at me or resonated with my soul so that I could flip back to it later to dwell on it further. ROAM might be only 88 pages long, but it takes readers on several unforgettable journeys through life that are worth experiencing.

[Adam Wilburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful. Brilliant.

[Kelly McCoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is excellent. I’m a retired firefighter and this book resonated with me. I really, really enjoyed it.