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The Wood Pile

A Collection of Poems and Short Stories

by The Running Writer

E-BOOK

$2.99

About The Book

The Wood Pile is a book about life experiences, human interactions with others, as we experience a range of emotions; set in poems, poetry and short stories. We all experience love, heartache, joy, sadness, hate, loneliness, lost love, death, dying, religion, disappointments and being trapped in our own understanding of the world.
I try to explain, understand my life and the similarities we share as human beings on this planet. In The Wood Pile I try to connect with you on a higher level to provoke deep thoughts, exercising the brain and stimulating the mind for greatness.

I believe when we are in deep thought the brain is developing the most and getting stronger. I hope The Wood Pile helps you grow and develop as your life becomes filled with more complex emotions and situations; like chopped wood piled up in disarray, we all have our own wood pile.

Details
Publication date	December 03,2021
Language	English
ISBN	(Paperback)
	978-1-63871-782-9 (E-BOOK)
Genre	Contemporary

Specifications
Pages	154
Interior Color	Black and White
Book Size	8.000" x 10.000" (254mm x 203mm)

About The Author

I grew up in Charleston Mississippi as a poor boy with my grandmother, mother, two younger brothers, two aunts and three cousins in a small tin roof shack; with an outhouse outback and an outdoor pump for freshwater. I thought I was in heaven from zero to age eleven, working on a small farm feeding the chickens and hogs, Chopping wood, fixing things with my grandfather, fishing, hunting and playing in the woods. I collected pop bottles to buy candy, chips and soda pop; but my grandmother who was my best friend would give me money for candy and B.B.Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s.

I went to school one day with my cousins but was sent home because I was not enrolled. So I started helping my grandparents around the house until my cousins would come home. Then we would play when they finished their homework.

My cousin Rodger, Brother Ronnie and I picked cotton the summer before my family moved to Cleveland, Ohio; to live with my aunt and two cousins who had already been here a year. I thought they were rich with indoor plumbing, lights, gas, a living room, a bathroom, a kitchen and three bedrooms, I could not believe this was public housing! I was happy to see them again and started school in the third grade at eleven. I had no dreams of going to college or running track at the world class level; only digging a ditch, fixing things or cleaning to support a family one day. But I was always thinking about how to make peopleÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s lives better. We lived with my aunt for about a year and moved around Cleveland before landing in Carver Park housing.

I received lots of help in school with my ABCÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s, small words, counting, stuttering, self esteem and shyness. I was learning pretty quickly so I tried to write my first book at age 12. I realized I had not learned enough for such a big task. So I dedicated myself to learning and sports because I was in great shape coming from the south with a strong work ethic. I played many sports basketball, baseball, boxing; but track and cross country is where I excelled. I worked hard as a student athlete. I graduated from highschool at 18 with a full track and cross country scholarship to the university of Tennessee.

I was a five time Southeastern Conference champ, one in cross country and 4 in track and field. I was also a three time winner of the penn relay 3000 meter steeplechase and a member of the 1983 world championship team in the steeplechase with a time of 8:23.

While at U.T my talent as a writer/snipper was discovered in a english class and JROTC course. I graduated with a bachelor of science degree. The first to graduate college in my family and perhaps the first African american distance runner to reach the world class level, and to run 3200 meters in 8:46 in High School. I am in two Ohio track halls of fame and a member of Who's Who in Black cleveland.

After college I ran for a few years before getting injured and retiring from running. I have worked many different jobs; teaching, coaching, youth programs, my own home repair business, campagnes, working for the city of Cleveland and I also ran for mayor of Cleveland at age 38 with plans and solutions for big city problems. I am also a songwriter, producer, coach and activist. I have been called a gadfly, pioneer and a renaissance man. I would like to think I have influenced track and field, politics, music and writers in a positive manner as I have pursued my dreams.