Capturing a life in verse

John W. Maxwell was born in 1960 into a working-class family of eight in rural Michigan. He quietly began writing poetry for himself at age 12. His writing continued throughout high school and college, cataloguing the struggles of adolescence and young adulthood. He stashed them in a raggedy manilla folder. After college he continued writing, though less frequently.

A dozen years ago while cleaning his basement, he rediscovered that thick folder of poetry from his youth. That began his second life as a poet. He resumed writing with fresh perspective as a husband and father. In December 2022 he published his first book of poetry after 50 years of writing. His book “Hammering Nails” is a collection of poems about the ordinary struggles and triumphs of every stage of life.

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His classic rhythmic lyrical writing style has been compared to Robert Frost, Dickenson and Yeats, but is genuinely his own. He mixes deep introspection about life, love, hope, fear and God with the delights and challenges of being a husband and father. He also touches on the contemporary topics of politics, world events and popular culture with a perspective that is sometimes humorous, sometimes cynical always insightful.

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He has been called "The poet voice of our generation."