Journey Through the Wilderness: My First Trilogy

Introduction

When I first decided to commit myself to writing poetry, truth be told—this was not the plan. I always disliked the idea of being called a poet. It felt reductive, limiting what I wanted to achieve as a journalist and, more broadly, as a writer. It always seemed as though I was placing myself in a box. Yet, slowly, I realized that my thoughts and reflections, often expressed in poetic prose, mirrored the emotional depth and deliberation I invested in my long-form pieces.

When I arrived in New York to begin my academic journey in 2017, it was my first time in the United States. I had voraciously consumed American media throughout my life—especially content rooted in New York. At the age of five, walking down a road in Guyana, I promised my mother I would study in the United States on scholarships and build a better life for us. I had seen New York City in a book and was drawn to the yellow taxis and the Empire State Building.

What I didn’t anticipate was the cost of such a proclamation—the weight of what it would demand and the price I would have to pay, nearly 16 years later. Yet, here I am, seven (7) years on, still learning how to carry my cross daily.

Ironically, from December 2016 to January 23, 2017—the day I ultimately left Guyana—I played Grand Theft Auto IV. The game, set in New York, featured a Serbian immigrant protagonist, Niko Bellic. Through his eyes and narrative, I first navigated the city, experiencing New York vicariously. Perhaps now, I can finally put into words the feelings of stepping into a place I had already “lived” virtually.

The names Wandering Son and Prodigal Son reflect who I was, who I am now, and who I hope to become. Wandering Son contains poems written over the course of seven (7) years—some dated, while others exist without temporal markers, adding to the collection’s authenticity. Reflections, written between April and June 2023, serves as the middle ground, while Prodigal Son, composed between September and October 2024, concludes the trilogy.

Together, they form Journey Through the Wilderness—a poetic trilogy that speaks with fierce intimacy to themes of belonging, identity, resilience, and spiritual reconciliation. It is a map of my soul’s intricate journey through life’s harsh terrain. Each book offers a window into my experience as I walk the path of exile and return, questioning not only my place in the world but also my worthiness of love, acceptance, and inner peace.

The Narrative Arc

Wandering Son: The Initial Search for Belonging

Cover Concept

Wandering Son as I see the cover

The trilogy begins with Wandering Son, a collection that pulses with youthful yearning. The protagonist—a reflection of my early journey—grapples with cultural identity and alienation. Growing up as a Black Guyanese man, I found myself caught between two worlds—one rooted in the landscapes and traditions of Guyana, the other in the gritty, impersonal streets of New York.

Wandering Son reads as a restless exploration of roots and ambition. As a young man navigating the diaspora experience, I struggle to situate myself within the backdrop of a new world while holding onto the one I left behind.

Reflections: A Period of Reckoning

Reflections, the second book in the trilogy, marks a shift from exploration to examination. Here, I intended to present a protagonist who begins to grapple with deeper questions of purpose and self-worth, scrutinizing past choices and relationships. The poems in Reflections oscillate between frustration and revelation, capturing the tension between my ambitions and my inner limitations.

The voice is more controlled, the tone contemplative, revealing a growing awareness of my own flaws and the weight of past mistakes. If Wandering Son was the bright, relentless pursuit of a life just out of reach, Reflections is the reckoning—the space where I confront the emotional and spiritual consequences of my choices.

A key feature of this collection is the recurring motif of personal letters, often beginning with “You, I write this letter…”. These pieces create an internal dialogue that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant. The collection reads as a conversation with the self—sometimes harsh, sometimes compassionate, but always honest.

Through this, I hope to create a space for readers to confront their own paths—to pause, take stock, and come to terms with both victories and regrets. I’ll admit, I wrote Reflections in the liminal space between seeing myself as wandering while yearning to be the prodigal.

Now with added questions and deeper introspection, I believe Reflections has improved immensely since its self-publication in March 2024.

Prodigal Son: The Return Home

The trilogy’s finale, Prodigal Son, is a profound and introspective culmination of the journey. In this final book, I tackle themes of redemption, acceptance, and spiritual homecoming. Here, the protagonist must confront the weight of his past with humility, seeking solace in faith and embracing his cultural roots as a means of grounding himself.

Cover Concept

This is a portrait of a man who, after years of searching, finds the courage to return to himself—shedding layers of ego and pride to reveal a heart softened by wisdom. This volume is my most mature work, yet in many ways, my rawest. The whimsical nature that colored Wandering Son has now been tempered by lived experiences and revelations.

Prodigal Son also introduces the tension between my Guyanese culture and spirituality, offering glimpses of familial sayings and cultural teachings that serve as both grounding and haunting forces in my life. The collection’s closing piece, Proverbs 22:6, brings the journey to a deeply moving conclusion, blending the spiritual and personal into a narrative of quiet victory and peace.

It is my hope that readers see this ending as an earned resolution rather than a hastily inserted conclusion. Within this final poem, there is also a hidden Easter egg—one that readers will enjoy and poetic purists will appreciate.

A Trilogy of Growth and Grace

In this trilogy, readers should not only see a linear journey of self-discovery but a cyclical one—a pilgrimage that moves through exile, examination, and return. While each book can stand alone, together, they form a tapestry of a life journey—my life journey.

Readers will witness a protagonist learning to navigate life’s disappointments and betrayals, its moments of despair and triumph—ultimately developing a faith that becomes less about dogma and more about conversation and relationship.

This trilogy is an offering to those who have felt unmoored, who have questioned their worth or place in the world, and who, perhaps, have walked their own version of the wilderness.