“Threads of the Story” offers a behind-the-scenes look at my upcoming novel, featuring poems that reflect its themes and early previews of scenes and chapters. Think of it as a quiet space where the heart of the story speaks. I invite you to take this journey with me.
Poem #1: Lost Boys
“Lost Boys” is a poetic reflection on fatherlessness, street life, and the desperate search for identity and acceptance. It explores the emotional and moral struggle of young men lacking the guidance of a father figure, feeling abandoned, drawn to the streets in search of belonging, only to find loyalty to a destructive code and a brotherhood rooted in pain. The themes in this poem lay the emotional foundation for the story told in my novel.
Poem #2: Lion Among Wolves
“Lion Among Wolves” explores the inner conflict of a young man raised in a violent world, struggling to preserve his identity and purpose while surrounded by chaos. Though he possesses strength and dignity—like a lion—he questions his place among those driven by rage and survival, wondering if he can truly walk a different path while running with the pack.
Poem #3: Among the Condemned
In this poem, we journey deeper into the darkness surrounding our protagonist, as he is shaped by violence, betrayal, and the harsh realities of street life. With the loss of his innocence, he embraces a brutal path, learning that in a savage world, redemption is a luxury few can afford.
Poem #4: Harsh Realities
“Harsh Realities” confronts the brutal truth of survival in a world ruled by violence, where mercy is weakness and honor has no place. It captures the cold acceptance that in a savage, heartless land, peace is a fantasy—and violence is the only language understood. This sets the stage for the choices that the characters make in this story.
Novel Scene Preview #1: Darius Gets in the Car
The road to criminality often begins with innocence among well intentioned teens.
Novel Scene Preview #2: Where is Eric?
In this world, silence does not always mean distrust. Sometimes, it is the shield we raise to protect the ones we love from the darkness that has already consumed pieces of our own soul.
Poem #5: A Mother’s Plight
She is a woman of grace, her hands calloused from work, her heart lifted daily in prayer. She wears many names—daughter, wife, laborer—but the one that anchors her soul is mother. Yet even love this deep cannot shield her from fear. For her son walks among shadows, tangled in the streets that hunger for him. And so she waits, prays, and pleads with heaven—caught between hope and heartbreak, strength and sorrow.
Novel Scene Preview #3: Graduation Present
Getting out of the game is a myth whispered like gospel but rarely lived. Because the game decides who walks away, and when. So, is this a celebration of a young man’s future—or the silent coronation of another soldier?
Ronaldo Gilley 