Walking Through Rain: A Life in Poetry

By John Martin Pryde

In “Walking Through Rain” the author John Martin Pryde shares his experiences of his life journey. The poetry together with each reflection, takes the reader on a voyage through childhood and adult experiences and explains the impact that childhood abuse has had in shaping and challenging his life experiences as both a child and as an adult. His story serves as a backdrop for the discussion of a serious issue which has impacted millions of people across all countries and cultures. Pryde takes the crime of abuse and offers a personal insight into coping and managing the issue as a victim. He offers strategies whch have worked for himself and shows how poetry can be a sanctuary and a form of comfort to heal and cope with pain. The book concludes by acknowledging the love and support he has received from family and the important role they have played in his healing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press AU
• Release date: Mar 5, 2021
• ISBN: 9781504324656

John Martin Pryde

Childhood Abuse became a major social issue in Australia following the findings of the Royal Commission handed down in December 2019. John Martin Pryde, a survivor of this aberration devoted most of is working life as a teacher, and school counsellor working with troubled youth and disabled students. His perspective comes from the emergence of a repressed memory following a suicide attempt in December 2013.

Book preview

WALKING

Through

RAIN

A Life in Poetry

JOHN MARTIN PRYDE

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Copyright © 2021 John Martin Pryde.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used

or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or

mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or

by any information storage retrieval system without the

written permission of the author except in the case of brief

quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Balboa Press

A Division of Hay House

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Bloomington, IN 47403

www.balboapress.com.au

AU TFN: 1 800 844 925 (Toll Free inside Australia)

AU Local: 0283 107 086 ([phone] from outside Australia)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web

addresses or links contained in this book may have changed

since publication and may no longer be valid. The views

expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do

not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the

publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice

or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of

treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems

without the advice of a physician, either directly or

indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer

information of a general nature to help you in your quest

for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you

use any of the information in this book for yourself,

which is your constitutional right, the author and the

publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided

by Getty Images are models, and such images are

being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Interior Image Credit: Ian Parker

ISBN: 978-1-5043-2460-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5043-2465-6 (e)

Balboa Press rev. date: 03/01/2021

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I

dedicate this book to my wife Ingrid.

She has been a tower of strength over the past forty years

of our life together. She has stood by me through the most

difficult and trying of times and the last eight years have given

me a renewed appreciation for her love and dedication. I value

her strengths, her counsel and advice but most of all I am so

appreciative of the family life we have had together and the

blessing of the five wonderful children we have raised together.

CONTENTS

Introduction

CHILDHOOD BEREAVEMENT

Poem 1 My Travelling Friend

Poem 2 Time to Forgive

Poem 3 Why?

FAMILY AND PARENTING

Poem 4 Done and Dusted

Poem 5 My Ma’ (Grandma)

Poem 6 My Darling Daughter

ADULTHOOD

Poem 7 Clueless

Poem 8 On My Own

DISCOVERING THE TRUTH: CHILDHOOD ABUSE

Poem 9 My Secret

Poem 10 The Little Boy Inside

THE MURDER OF HEART SURGEON DR. VICTOR CHANG

Poem 11 Tribute to Victor

CLIMATE CHANGE

Poem 12 A Crazy Question

Poem 13 Spin

LYRICAL POEMS FROM THE SCREENPLAY FINDING BRODY KOHLY

Poem 14 Someone’s Got to Care

Poem 15 Warm Heart

Poem 16 One More Child

A CANCER ENCOUNTER

Poem 17 The Bell

LOVE

Poem 18 The Wedding Poem

LOVE

Poem 19 Soulmates

THREE MAGIC WORDS

Poem 20 Three Magic Words

References

INTRODUCTION

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