These 109 poems touch on the deeps of the spirit journey. They attempt contemporary expression that honors and yet transcends traditional religious and secular articulation, and that honors creation . . . and spirit at the heart of every piece of it. They are kin to Lao Tzu, Tagore, Kazantzakis, D. H. Lawrence, e. e. cummings, Teilhard de Chardin, Mary Oliver, and Stanley Kunitz. This is John P. Cock's ninth book. Others include a spirit journey novel in the spirit of Hesse's SIDDHARTHA, a memoir, and musings on spirituality, religion, theology, ecology, cosmology, and vocation. Thomas Berry writes on the cover: ." . . John Cock may be considered one of our more significant guides into an exciting future."

23 Reflections and 26 Pieces of Verse, etc. (COVER REMARKS) by Thomas Berry, to whom book is dedicated, author of THE DREAM OF THE EARTH, cultural historian and geologian: "As we awaken, in this new millennium, to a dynamic, hitherto scarcely dreamed of future in every phase of life, John Cock's latest book sounds a clarion call for our participation in the great enterprise of enhancing communion between the human and the other-than-human components of the sacred earth community." (MASTER IMAGE) A book about the spirit journey of communion with the power at the heart of creation that motivates us humans to be agents of intercommunion. (From the INTRODUCTION) Section one is about linking our understanding of creation and its interior power to our current human condition: the people of this planet are dispirited. Yet, we are on a spirit journey which is not about "me as a person" but is about "me in relation with all others," human and non-human. The truth we are missing is that spirit happens in the relation between the other and me, or spirit happens in the relations of creation. In this section we explore spirit's presence in everyday life and the dynamics of the spirit journey. In section two, . . . How do we begin to deal with the contradiction of our time, which is spirit disrelation? Answer: we become more aware of our experiences of communion with spirit. In section three . . . the focus is the mission of creation as mutual care or intercommunion . . . a way to talk about our resolve and action to comprehensively interrelate with and care for creation as it cares for us. . . . The change we envision will not come from the ought of sustainability, will not come from more democraticgovernments, more economic prosperity, or a better educated populace. It will come from a more conscious spirit journey of communion and intercommunion of a growing movement of people around the planet.

Journer, by John P. Cock. In this little novel, Peter takes his family on a global odyssey as they search for the meaning of faith and vocation. Layer after layer of his inherited notions about life, religion, and culture fall away on his spirit quest that leads him from a rural American background to the city, to the ghetto, to third world villages, and back again. Life-changing events guide him on the way. Everyone can identify with Peter for everyone is on the journey. Fashioned after Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha, a lean spiritual journey, Journer focuses on the ever-present spirit of grace and oneness as experienced in this very real world. Journer promises us courage to journey far and deep.

"Our Universal Spirit Journey: Reflection and Verse for Creation's Sake" is John P. Cock's fourth book. A creational context for everyone's journey in an age of transformation. "This book is...[an] exuberant statement of the all-pervasive presence and power of spirit...and its ever-present support for the Earth Venture and the Human Venture." - from the Foreword by Thomas Berry, noted Earth spokesperson and author. "Crammed with poetic meditations, philosophical asides and piercing criticism, this is a book to be pondered rather than merely read." - from cover comment by Lonnie Kliever, Professor of Religious Studies, SMU, and author. It consists of 14 reflective chapters and 34 poems; 252-page p.b. by tranScribe books.