The Great Divide

The Great Divide by Joe Tye is a Reading Hardback Book. The Great Divide by Joe Tye is an eclectic collection of short poems and reflections on the divisions we face in our personal lives and in today's polarized world. It's a touching meditation on birth and death, good and evil, life and afterlife. Entries are by turns humorous, satiric, political, and occasionally angry. Joe explores the chasms that separate us from others, keep us from becoming our authentic selves, and divide us as a nation. He wrestles with themes of hope and despair, love and hate, anger and forgiveness, kindness and cruelty. He will take you above the tree line where the earth makes love to the sky; deep into the Grand Canyon where all you can hear is the sound of your own thoughts and the voice of God and the challenge is to know who's talking; and to the fork in the path after which all roads lead to roam. Because Donald Trump is among the most polarizing figures in modern history, Joe explores how Trumpism has created a political great divide and how Trumpianity has created a spiritual great divide in our world. Because abortion is the most polarizing issue of our times, he explains why legislated abortion bans are doomed to repudiation and repeal. Many entries draw from Joe's career as an inspirational author/speaker. He poetically shares insights on overcoming procrastination, achieving mental clarity and emotional equanimity, and facing adversity with courage and determination. He finds meaning in mosquitoes and mayflies, humor in the antics of a dumbo octopus, and gratitude in watching a maid eat an apple. The 27 haiku-like poems Joe originally penned under the pseudonym McZen are ideal for reflective reading. Fans of oldies music will love "Best American Poetry, 1963-73" and seeing how many of those songs are still dancing in their memories. Joe is not a trained poet and does not write for literary audiences. This collection is for everyday people trying to make sense of the world and breach the great divides in their own lives.