The Fragments of Colors in the Kaleidoscope: An Anthology of Poetry (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781453848494)

A young man struck by a chronic pain disease at the age of 15, who has been living in pain ever since, Ashraf Hamed Jr. finally, reveals the first volume of his poetic anthology. Inspired as a child to write poetry, Ashraf was nurtured to explore the deeper meaning of his words by the likes of Daniel Uszaki, a high school English teacher. Ashraf writes to extract his feelings from his mind and body onto the page as a therapeutic way to relieve his feelings of chronic pain originating from Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. The incurable disease, originally the result of Lime Disease, has not only eaten away the nerves in the right side of his leg, but it has eaten away at his life. Although he is confined to a cane for the rest of his life, the poetry he writes serves as a crutch to keep him from staying down. His mother, Carole Hamed, has served as a role model for encouragement and a "push" to increase not only his writing skills, but also his confidence as a child afflicted by a disease that few people understand. His therapist, Diane Gottlieb, who Ashraf has known since a child, has also promoted his writings as a distraction for the throbbing pain that consistently plagues his existence. Annie Lane, a cousin and best friend of Ashraf, has nurtured not only his people skills, but has been personally credited with "bringing Ashraf back his life." One of the many inspirations is Ashraf's best friend Nicola Hodgson. She has helped him through this agonizing life and pushed him through it with her love and support. He has to give her the most credit because she is one of his most powerful inspirations in his writing and in their relationship. "If her love and kindness wasn't supporting me, I would probably not be writing. I want to say 'thank you Nicola, ' for our past, present, and wonderful future. " To go into the mind of Ashraf and to read his writings means to take an adventure in someone's life and sentiments to experience unceasing physical, mental and emotional agony.