Heath Brougher

As the following quote by Nietzsche much more eloquently states, this book is not meant for everyone. It is meant, rather, for the people out there who are on a similar philosophical wavelength as myself. It is a very experimental book that probes the question "what causes something to exist?" and/or "what creates creation?" while examining the relationship between Consciousness and Existence. This is a book that I hope will open minds to begin questioning the very essence of life or at least start viewing certain aspects of it from a different angle. It is a book for ears that are related to mine.

In this new hard hitting anthology by Creative Talents Unleashed, authors from around the world pour out their experiences of 'Microaggression'. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as "A comment or action subtly and often unconsciously expressing a prejudiced attitude towards a member of marginalized group"Derald Wing Sue defines Microaggression as " The brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral and environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial, gender, and sexual orientation, and religious slights and insults to the target person or group"In today's society we are all a part of, whether we like it or not; we are forever scrutinizing our dialogue and conversation, looking out for offensive and insulting content. Today, words don't just insult, they also inflict verbal violence with long lasting psychological effects, causing unimaginable inner conflict and problems with forming healthy personal relationships. The authors of Microaggression - Then & Now are speaking out. They are victims themselves and bravely share their experiences, concerns, hopes and fears through poetry and prose. They speak of a lack of empathy and tolerance in society. They warn of how words can cut, stir, disrupt and destroy. They refuse to accept others telling you that 'you can't or 'you're not good enough'. They document long term derision, mocking of a person's skin color, sexual orientation and the dismissal of others and the lasting effects this has on all of us experiencing this. They want you to know that your handicap does not make you less of a human being. They know and understand that some of you struggle to find your voice and prefer to exist in the margins of society. They also realize that some of you wear your hearts on your sleeves and they want you to know that it is fine. It is what makes you unique. If others see this as a weakness or handicap, remain steadfast within yourself and take comfort in the knowledge that they themselves are the lost ones, the lonely ones, the broken ones. Some of us unfortunately do not know which emotional tools to use to control our inner well-being, so when others silence us, overpower us, misunderstand us or dismiss us, we choose to step back behind our veil of inner personal safety. This anthology aims to give you the courage to speak out, reach out, and break the mold of silence. Derald Wing Sue further argues that "perpetrators of Microaggression are often unaware of the indignities that they inflict on others". Be brave and find your voice to let them know that you refuse to be silent, you refuse to let them break you, you refuse to let them belittle you and dehumanize you. The authors in this anthology want you to know you are not alone. Don Beukes, author of The Salamander Chronicles

"These poems of startling energy and consequence sing, crackle and at times shriek off the page, made electric with vivid imagery and undeniable voice, but at total emotional distance. The result is a poetic and relentless study on the very nature of things. Brougher is as much an impartial eye as those he describes throughout, recording the slow disintegration and ensuing eradication of the fabric of existence with all the authority and musical harmony of a twenty-first century Lucretius." - Philip Elliott