Poetry is all too often regarded as irrelevant, its meaning seemingly hidden. Conversely, story form seems more accessible in its communication and has a more defined nature than its opaque poetic cousin. A poem, however, is more compact in its delivery and has the added dimension of being open to wider interpretation. It acts like a mirror, revealing the secret wounds of the soul, its words offering the balm of understanding. Poems reveal vulnerability - emotion laid bare, inner journeys exposed, the fragility of life, the freedom of imagination. . . Poems are meant not so much to be understood as to be felt and to connect at a deeper level. The pattern, shape and rhythm of words convey meaning that goes far beyond the mind and into the heart. I hope that those contained in these pages reach both your heart and mind.