Under a Policeman's Knee

About the Book

This collection of poems covers a wide range of topics from social justice, politics, religion, sports, overcoming adversity, and relationship loss. Specifically, police violence, the Insurrection, acquaintance rape, wrongful convictions, gun violence, racism, and homelessness are addressed. Readers will be able to relate to poems about love and loss and still find hope in the difficult subjects touched on here. Several friends have gone through divorce and relationship loss and I wrote their stories as if they were my own. Poems with "pain" in their titles are my own stories dealing with adversity as is "Dust on the Shelf."

About the Author

Rick Ward grew up in the Sacramento area playing football, basketball, and baseball und was named Most Athletic upon graduation from Rio Americano High School in 1975. To be able to play high school sports, Rick avoided doctors because he was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis and ankylosing Spondylitis while in the eighth grade. He kept his condition secret throughout high school and by the time his senior year begun he was playing with a very swollen right knee and a Baker's cyst behind that knee. Although his condition made it difficult to run, he never missed a game his senior year and was given Honorable Mention honors in football and played for the Sacramento High School Basketball All Stars in the Optimist game. It was during that game the cyst finally ruptured and Rick was hospitalized. Tests taken confirmed the earlier diagnosis and doctors told him he could no longer play sports due to his condition.