Pulitzer Prize Finalist and one of Americas most revered military veteran writers Bruce Weiglampampamp160bringsampampamp160readers facetoface with our countryampampamp8217s legacy of violence the suffering of combat PTSD and what it means to be truly haunted.ampampamp10Taking its cue from James Wrightampampamp8217s goal to write ampampquotthe poetry of a grown manampampquot the poems inampampamp160Apostle of Desireampampamp160juxtapose the peace and comfort offered by the natural world with the bruising intensity of manmade violence. These sudden tonal shifts express a vulnerability and extremity of feeling that strips audiencesampampamp8217 own emotions bare leading readers to question their roles as bystanders and consumers of violent media.ampampamp10In sharing his intertwining feelings of love and shame for both country and self Weigl places readers into the role of the watcher and opens a window into the traumas of the Vietnam War and lifeampampamp8217s daily battles with PTSD. The honesty of Weiglampampamp8217s poetry exposes the ghosts of pain while still witnessing the glories of love nature and his ongoing experiences with the rich daily life of contemporary Vietnam.ampampamp10Readers will face the solitude of regret and the hopeful pursuit of redemptionremembering the past and looking toward the future.