📚 Battlefield to Poetry: A Warrior’s Journal Through Trauma & Redemption

In this powerful episode of Grey Matter, we sit down with Ryan McDermott, author of “Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet,” who takes us on his remarkable journey from West Point to the frontlines of Iraq, through the collapse of Lehman Brothers, and ultimately to healing through poetry.

“Each poem represents a cathartic journey inspired by an emotion or an experience” — Ryan McDermott shares how writing became his salvation during life’s most challenging moments. Listen as he reads moving excerpts including “Remains of the Night,” written during a personal rock bottom in 2011.

🔹 Highlights:

Ryan’s experience leading a platoon during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and earning the Bronze Star Medal

How he transitioned from military service to Wall Street, only to witness Lehman Brothers’ 2008 collapse

The power of poetry as a tool for processing trauma and finding meaning

The concept of the “warrior poet” and vulnerability as a foundation of strength

General David Petraeus describes “Downriver” as achieving “the level of literary depth and emotional resonance” rarely found in war memoirs. Join us for this inspirational conversation about resilience, self-discovery, and the enduring power of hope.

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