Straight from the Heart

In his collection of writing, Wonders, Kevin Hollingsworth has made a covenant with readers to share his deepest feelings, grief and loss. The result makes for cathartic reading.

We all know of that feeling of frustration, when our most intimate sentiments are boarded up within us and words seem to lack the power to express the ineffable sentiments that are gnawing away at our spirits. Well, this is what Kevin Hollingsworth has conveyed in his collection of writings, Wonders, and in so doing he has offered an outstretched hand to all those who can relate to his innermost feelings.

Wonders consists of 21 short prose poems - intense in their use of language and which are, in all but name, very personal poems - that attempt to capture the grief, followed by resignation that seems to go hand in hand with the human condition. Through all these emotions Hollingsworth shares his frank, candid and incisively sensitive reflections with the reader in an ultimately uplifting way.

Although these pieces can be read as general reflections upon loss and grief and joy, there is an autobiographical element, perhaps most poignantly focused in the character of Jewel - the subject of ‘Hope: Jewel to the World’ - a deeply personal reflection, dedicated to his grandmother, Esther - a figure for whom the writer evidently has extreme feelings.

This is Kevin Hollingsworth’s first volume of writings. He came late in life to putting his feelings down in words, but encouragement from friends and family made him want to persevere. What makes him go on with his writing is that he "liked putting smiles on people’s faces". His philosophy towards writing is simple: people will never know they have an aptitude for something unless they try it. And if his writing can touch people in a meaningful way, then at least he knows that at least he can "feel good that he has done something right in this life for a moment in time."

Wonders is an inspirational collection of writings that can be read, cried over and rejoiced over and can bring pleasure by the mere contemplation of its words.