Downward

About the Book

Downward, formerly known as Determining Destiny, is (in a nutshell) about me. It's an anthological body of poems that are separated into four themed sections, displaying and commenting on the ways that I’ve processed and interpreted (primarily reoccurring) events, thoughts, and feelings within my life. Allow me to make the disclaimer now, this book will come across as a ‘woe is me’ brain dump, but I think that’s okay. It’s true to the feelings that I had in those stages of my life and, to be quite honest, it’s true to many of the feelings that I still carry to this day. Downward teeters the line between autofiction and a loose conceptual autobiography. Throughout a large portion of the book, actual events of my existence are depicted and analyzed. Though, in some of the poems, I do ask “what if ‘this’ had happened instead of ‘that’”. However, for most of them, I just recount the situation without the added exploration. Downward is the most intimate way to put your soul in my shoes.

About the Author

Raised in Jamaica, Queens, Regal Clarke was shaped by the vibrant cultural intersections of New York City, this emerging author brings a voice grounded in language, identity, and community. Growing up in a Jamaican-American household, he was introduced early to the power of multilingualism, inspired by a mother who emphasized the importance of learning another language from a young age. That foundation sparked a lifelong passion for Spanish, first cultivated in middle school and later refined through formal study and professional practice. He spent his formative teenage and early adult years in the dynamic communities of the Metro Atlanta area, experiences that deepened his appreciation for cultural diversity and human connection—perspectives that now inform both his teaching and writing. As a dedicated educator, he currently serves as a Spanish teacher, where he strives to foster cross-cultural understanding and empower students through language learning. Regal's academic journey reflects this commitment: he holds two bachelor’s degrees—one in Professional Communications and another in the Modern Language of Spanish—and is nearing completion of a master’s degree in Social Justice in Spanish. Beyond the classroom and the page, he's an avid tennis player, contemporary RnB music listener, and obsessed JRPG gamer.