Within the pages of Lee’s collection of poems are spiritual messages of beauty, love, and enlightenment. Born in New York City to Jamaican parents, Lee (formerly Paul Dwyer) fostered his love for poetry at a young age. His writings are the result of years of close study in religious movements and the adoption of a poetic name to symbolize his transformation and illumination.
There are more than a hundred poems found in Lee’s collection, grouped in chapters by common themes. The ones that stand out are found in Chapter Two, a rendering of memory and time with the poems, “Dana, shadow you are mine,” “Forever and a day,” and “11/11/11 Faint memories of Promises made.” Chapter Three is a homage to love with “Binding Love,” “Perfect,” and “In the depths of love 5/25/09.” And in Chapter Seven “Bruce transcends,” “Restful Thoughts,” and “A Son of Bruce Father’s Day 6/21/09” are dedications to the martial arts philosopher, Bruce Lee, who was a significant influence on Lee’s life and his art.
Guided by the teachings of Taoism, Judaism, and Buddhism (to name a few), Lee writes from an experiential place. He does not conform to any particular set of rules with his poetry but rather is driven by his metaphysical and cultured upbringing, producing a lyricism and aesthetic quality that is uniquely his own. The title itself is another clear indication of Lee’s deep, transcendent connection to God. Jah, meaning God, derives from the Rastafarian religion originated in Jamaica and is a shortened version of the more familiar term, Yahweh. This wholehearted reverence permeates his work, and with it, Lee earnestly marks his arrival as a contemporary poet.