“For you I have saved poems under my skin.” Sanober Khan

Yearning for Human Touch is a collection of poems and stories that explore human touch and intimacy as a healing experience. Mr. McDowell examines the yearning for human relationships and deep connections in response to personal traumas in his life, such as a traumatic brain injury, bipolar disorder, and substance abuse. Emotionally gut-wrenching and haunting, the poems and stories emphasize the impact of these experiences on the poet’s identity, family, and spiritual life. The search for intimacy and healing emerges from a deep sense of loneliness, grief, and alienation. At the same time, a theme of human compassion and grace transforms the pain and isolation into hope and reconciliation. In the end, God weaves the poet’s suffering, loneliness, and yearning for human touch into a song of love.

Theodore McDowell was disabled from the practice of law in 2004 as the result of a traumatic brain injury due to a car accident. The injury led to periods of depression, manic episodes, and substance abuse. Mr. McDowell has previously published a book of poetry entitled Wrestling a Blessing from God that explores these traumas in an honest, deeply moving collection of poetry. He also has published a novel entitled It’s a Hell of a Thing. He currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia and is married with five adult children scattered across the United States.