A Love Life Lived

The poetry focuses on a variety of topics, but pulls inspiration from Hart's eight year discernment to enter the Catholic Priesthood. These written pieces also reflect on the poet's work with young adults, as well as his efforts to overcome his thirty-seven year battle with Cerebral Palsy. It is clear from his words that he is a man of faith, and through his poetry Hart examines what it means to be human, though our times of struggle, triumph, and tribulation. While some of his poems tell short stories, others are self-reflective, turning the reader to look within themselves as they digest the phrases that the poet has placed upon the page. Some of the strongest poem's are God's Land, When Problems Mount, Ambassadors, Areola's of the Soul, and the one line poem, Living, which is a force all upon itself with its simple yet heart-wrenching delivery. Some of the poems included in this collection could be considered old-fashioned in nature, as the choices of word and writing style often brings about a recollection of the old English style of writing, with reveries of different dialects, apostrophes present sometimes to elicit a warm feeling as you read. Yet others are modern in nature, telling tales of the day to day realities that we all have to face. It is clear that Hart pulls from his own life experiences to write his poetry, and that is why his pieces resonate so deeply, his life offering itself up as a sort of sacrifice so that the words can come forth. This is a startlingly good collection that shows the wide range of this poet, whose humanity is collected in a well organized and affecting form. -Red City Review