Often, the most important things in life are those we're not talking about. And at some point, almost every man is invited to reflect on these forbidden subjects and to begin a journey through unfamiliar territory. For some men, it may be a journey taken in crisis, and for others it may be little more than a sneaking suspicion or subtle intuition that something in his world is amiss. Whatever has happened, there's a dire need for him to make sense of his world and to understand it anew.The journey of our lives is poetry, a Homeric-like odyssey where each man goes in search of deeper truth and meaning. This is a time in his life where nothing speaks louder to him than mystery. This is also when poetry may more easily enter his life, allowing a man to connect his head, heart and gut in ways his daily prose simply cannot.Poetry is not some esoteric art, practiced by cloistered academics. Rather it is the language of nature in which we are all fluent. Thus comes this compilation of poems, arising out of our time together, where we summoned the poet within as we attempt to make sense of our life experiences.The many verses in this collection are generously shared by the brothers who wrote them during our weekend retreat at The Hermitage in Three Rivers, Michigan. They have been edited minimally for design and coherence. If any changes have been made which effect the meaning or appearance improperly, it is unintentional.