Expressing a wide range of universal, personal, and intimate emotions, these poems explore happiness, fulfillment, and the myriad of ways one personal interaction influences another. Poems like “In the End, There is the Restart” capture how one ending, however distressing, can actually be a new beginning. Others, such as “One Day,” focus on how a single moment in a solitary day can impact one immeasurably and indefinitely. “Verses and Illusion” celebrates the magic and mystery words create as they blend and merge to create the powerful force known as poetry. As the collection concludes, readers discover poems like “Walking Seagulls,” which fuse human curiosity and the natural world’s gifts and wonders. Colorful photographs interspersed throughout the collection create moments for introspection and self-reflection.

This poetry collection’s emotional power is shaped by the minimalist forms and language each verse utilizes. The speaker’s connection with nature, as well as other environments and surroundings, is deep, and the poignant detail in each poem conveys that connection. The poems are also inspirational and encouraging. For example, selections like “The New Walking Life” encourage readers to keep moving forward and embrace what life has to offer. Because of their positive messaging and personal honesty, the poems act like guideposts not only for reading but also for living. This book offers readers of all backgrounds and experiences a place to meditate and find solitude. Meanwhile, for poetry readers old and new, its verses attest to the timelessness and necessity of this age-old art form to articulate the individual and collective experience.

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