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KEVIN F ANDERSON
Kevin F Anderson is a retired teacher of theology, scripture, philosophy, world religions and social justice. As a young priest he served as teacher and chaplain, and as a retreat leader he ran outreach programs for youth. He was director of ‘Columbus Boys’ Camp’, and helped launch the first ‘Out of the Cold’ program that now serves the poor across Ontario. He lived and worked in Latin America as both a priest and a human rights worker, working at FEDEFAM with relatives of the disappeared. He returned to Canada to work as the Director of Education and Training at the ‘Canadian Churches’ Forum for Global Ministries’. Before retiring from teaching, Kevin spent many years travelling with students on awareness trips to Nicaragua, to conferences and soup kitchens, promoting these adventures and experiences as ways to travel outside the classroom and comfort zone of traditional learning. He has been writing poetry, articles, and stories his entire life. In recent years, he has published three books, all are collections of poems he has written and shared with friends on social media. He is in the process of editing a 4th book.
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WALKING INTO WONDERLAND: EXPLORING MYTH, MYSTICISM & MYSTERY
This collection of poems explores the beauty and grandeur of the human spirit and of the natural world – exposing the light and darkness of our search and struggle for meaning and purpose – in a world of ongoing challenges.
Poetry and myth and storytelling are our way of crafting and shaping our world – understanding ourselves – interpreting or dreams and deepest longings.
These poems are my own faltering attempt to reach out and grapple with the big questions – and to offer counsel, care, compassion, encouragement and consolation to those with similar concerns.
UNDERSTAND WONDERLAND: POETRY, POLITICS & PRAYER
This 2nd collection of poems explores the beauty and grandeur - as well as the heartfelt struggle for meaning and purpose - facing us every day. In a world that hungers for justice and peace - these poems expose light and darkness – hardship and pain – but also promise and hope - in a world beset by ongoing challenges.
This is a more politically charged book than my first; it deals with specific issues and tackles many of the current challenges that I believe are signs for our times - signs we need to pay attention to with care and concern.
Poetry and myth and storytelling are our way of crafting and shaping our world – understanding ourselves – interpreting our dreams and deepest longings. These poems are my own faltering attempt to reach out and grapple with the big questions and to offer counsel, care, compassion, encouragement and consolation to those with similar concerns.
WINTER WONDERLAND: PATHWAYS TOWARD EASTER: RECOVERING THE PASCHAL MYSTERY
This 3rd collection of poems focuses on the paradigms and patterns of the pascal mystery in which all of us experience the winter moments and movements of being human and being alive, as we struggle with the inevitable seasons of our lives, including the celebration of mountaintop moments of exhilaration and revelation. But also, and more importantly, how we embrace and face the valleys, disruptions and discontents of everyday life as we attempt to grapple with the broken and barren aspects of our world, because that is the place and space where we are most challenged to growth and move towards transformation.
Like winter, letting go is part of the natural process of all things; it’s part of the dance of the seasons. So much of our spiritual growth depends on the grace with which we relinquish our life, and die to self, in order to find it more abundantly.
The words, and stories and lessons in this book are largely taken from my own life experience; they are explorations of the "winter wonderland" that is our natural setting - our birthright - our inheritance and legacy; because no matter how harsh or difficult the truth of our death and dying may be - it remains the fertile place for sowing seeds of hope. It is in the wasteland of winter we may uncover the wonder and depth and potential of being human.
We are here for a reason - no matter the season; we are responsible for planting hope and new life even in winter time. And our breakthroughs and resurrections are born out of our labor to harvest and generate and offer our lives to others.
This is the universal lesson of Jesus life and the heart of all spiritual teaching down through the ages; and it is the point of the paschal mystery.
It is the simple lesson that in giving we receive.
Our living is always about giving. That's what this book is all about.
In this collection, as we approach springtime and Easter, I have included poems and passages that I have written in this winter season - but I've also included older stories that I wrote years ago - because this book is one of reflecting and refining the universal story and struggle - of excavating and exploring the spiritual odyssey that is our life story.
These are stories of life and death about our call to be more - and to see more - and to pour more - of our heart and soul into this labor of love.
Poetry and myth and storytelling are among our best way of crafting and shaping our world – and of understanding ourselves. By imagining and interpreting our dreams and deepest longings we come to understand the wonder at work in all things - especially ourselves.
These poems are my own faltering attempt to reach out and grapple with the big questions – and to offer counsel, care, compassion, encouragement and consolation to those with similar concerns.