Featured Poet: Introducing Richard McClellan

At Restoration Hope, we believe that every voice has a story worth hearing. Our Spoken Word: Poetry section celebrates poets and writers who use their words to share experiences, explore life, and invite others to see the world from a different perspective.

This month, we are honored to feature Richard McClellan, a poet whose life experiences have taken him across the United States and around the world.

Born in Yellville, Arkansas, Richard served in the U.S. Army and has traveled to Japan, Korea, Portugal, Italy, Canada, Alaska, and throughout much of the lower forty-eight states. Of all the places he has visited, the Azores Islands in the Atlantic Ocean hold a special place in his heart as his favorite destination.

Richard's interests are as diverse as his travels. He enjoys poetry, genealogy, motorcycling, crocheting, and knitting. Before an injury in 2007, he also competed in billiards, playing both 8-ball and 9-ball.

His educational background includes a Bachelor's Degree in Electronics from SMSU and an Associate's Degree in Electromechanical Technology from North Arkansas Community College. Richard began writing poetry in 2011 and is a member of the Poetry Society of Vermont.

For our Spoken Word feature, Richard shares his poem “Life Force,” a reflective work that considers the marks life leaves upon us, the process of growth, and the steady movement of time.

Through images of scars, seedlings, breath, and father time, Richard invites us to pause and consider the journey of life, what shapes us, what grows within us, and what remains behind as time moves forward.

Connect with Richard:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rlmcclellan/