Author Karl Hicken has entitled each of his hauntingly evocative poems a 'Journey' followed by a number. By so doing, he takes the reader along a paint by number tour through life, capturing bittersweet moments of experience in vivid snapshots of memory. The sum total is 'Journey' __ an eloquent representation of a boy's journey to manhood. Many of these lyrical, well crafted poems evoke mystical years of childhood that are tainted by the trembling fears of nightmare: in the school yard or locker room and in the relative safety of home, something beyond boyish antics and childhood mischief malevolently lurks. Gentler sentiments a re recalled as the author remembers his grandparents and pays loving tribute to the resilient strengths of his parents.