Grace in Place of Grace

This volume of simple, unpretentious poetry will hopefully direct the reader to an understanding of the marvellous and abundant grace that Jesus Christ has to offer every human being. By combining Biblical verses with the author’s thoughts, the poems shall perhaps navigate men’s hearts to an awareness of the rich mercy that Jesus wants to share with all people.

When humans have thoughts surmising Christ, what may they ask themselves? How do I get to know the Saviour of mankind? What does a life lived for Christ entail? Are there aspects of my life that I need to change? How can I have a heartfelt relationship with God’s Son?

The poems in this book shall assist you in finding what Christ wants to do in your life and what He has already done. The titles may cause readers to think questions of great importance: “I Have Chosen You,” “No Longer Earthbound,” “Leap Like a Deer,” “No One Can Tell God What to Do,” “The Effectual Fervent Prayer,” “Washed with Butter,” “Inward Parts,” “The Pathways of God’s Pleasure,” etc….

“For by grace are ye saved through faith.” Ephesians 2:8a

Good Rain

Growing up in Kansas in the summer, the air would be so thick with humidity sometimes it would be difficult to breathe. Sometimes the air would be so heavy you would hope for a good rain. After it would pour you would walk outside and everything would feel lighter, brighter, greener, and cleaner. A fresh scent, like everything, was new. Sometimes life gets heavy like the humidity and your soul is the one that needs the good rain. This was mine.

Falling Through the Cracks

Depression, illness, pain, and loss can become private homes of isolation. It’s tempting to convince ourselves these homes of suffering are proof we suffer alone. Humanity falls through the cracks each time we are failed by a medical system, ignored by policy, and abandoned by those supposed to protect—to love us. May the reader find some commonality within these pages. It can be difficult to find home—know you’re not alone. May the reader experience ataraxia.

Collections of a Filthy Heart

I have a filthy heart.

It’s been bruised,

and broken,

and houses secrets best left in the dark.

These are its collections.

Courtney Jones lives in downtown Toronto, working in content creation and digital strategy. An avid lover of the written word, she prefers to pass her free time reading a good book while enjoying a glass of even better red wine.

Awake in Dreams Sleeping Death Away

Awake in Dreams Sleeping Death Away is a pun on the different states of consciousness, which is open to multifactorial answers. In reality, the observations in the poems leave the readers perhaps with more questions than answers.
The three states of consciousness—awakening, sleeping, and dreaming—hint at the fine line between life and death. The entire book can be seen as a dream.

Awake in Dreams Sleeping Death Away does not try to scientifically claim any truths, but it does attempt to question what we may hold as true. It is more important to experience the poems, rather than to actualize them in an objective manner. No doubt the meaning or truth in these poems, if any can be found, will be organic and morph with each new reader.   

As a Woman Thinketh

Mike Pauro, aka ‘Ajax Moon’ and his daughter, Morgan Deeble, aka ‘Bridey Moon’ remake the aphorism examined by James Allen for women. In this transposition of Allen’s classic, the authors revisit the impact of thought on health, purpose, achievement, ideas, and serenity from the female perspective. The work is accompanied by imagery from early 20th century postcards passed down for generations in their family. The images were selected to be contemporaneous of the era of James Allen (1864-1912).

Art and Poetry by Pollock

Life was smooth sailing and quite normal up until my mom Janis was killed in a car accident heading from Santa Cruz California to Carmel when I was 11 years old. After her death, life changed drastically from a nice gentle breeze to a category five tornado; an inferno of drugs, lies and alibis. Let’s just say… No more smooth sailing. When the dust began to settle at the age of 24, I enlisted in the United States Navy and set sail for a better life and once again it was smooth sailing.

Here are some of my experiences, thoughts, and photographs of my artwork which I use as a way to process my childhood traumas.

Processing as I stack stones and transfer the negative energy into a beautiful piece of work giving it life; it lives then eventually dies, taking the negative energy with it.

I hope you feel something from these pages within.

An Owl's Tales

Life is a trail of crossing paths, some barely noticed, others with profound impacts. Did Santa bring that special football or the right Barbie doll? Did you pass that tough high school teacher’s course? Remember your first love? Was the pound puppy with sad but hopeful eyes ever chosen? Was the homeless beggar on the corner worth helping? The paths of Santa and teachers and loves and others who need help influence the course of our path, some for good, others not so much. But all of your paths make you, you.

Is it better to know or to feel what we should do? Maybe it doesn’t matter as long as the trail is guided by the heart. One man’s journey through a lifetime of crossed paths is portrayed in An Owl’s Tales. Some paths will sound familiar; some will challenge; some will motivate, while others will touch your heart. The wise old owl who sleeps with one eye open observes everything, reacts to little, but remembers. When your race is run, what will have been your important paths?

A Portrait to Paint

The poems in A Portrait To Paint celebrate two journeys: the career in New York City that Andréa Suarez Hill had in print, broadcast and photo journalism until 1987; as well as the life she and her husband made when they moved to Down East Maine and created a salt water farm on a bay near the ocean.  The poetry reflects these two very different rural and urban lifestyles.

The section titled “We,” as a metaphor for the family of man, captures daily news from across the globe: climate change, social injustice, the Covid pandemic, political issues and more.

In the chapter titled “You,” Suarez-Hill writes about her relationships with horses, wild animals, people and places both in New York and Maine.

The last part of the book, “Me,” expresses her inner world, feelings about aging as well as about her childhood, family and friends.  A reader feels the wonder Andréa Suarez Hill experiences across the years wherever she lives and looks.

A Misguided Thought

A Misguided Thought is a collection of poetry that shows the overall life experiences of a 21-year-old—from living a sheltered life writing about his hopes and dreams to struggling with mental disorders, heartache, and trying to find his way back to the light through faith itself. The words within these pages intend to bring solace and clarity in times of conviction, and Jaelyn has come to be one of this generation’s greatest poets.

A Journey Within Us

Life is complicated. As you delve deeper into your emotions and confront your fears, a certain sense of understanding evolves, fostering personal growth. Adversity often breeds creativity and strength; you just need to be prepared to open your heart and soul to the truth.

In this book of poetry, I expose my deepest, most personal thoughts to anyone who decides to read. The main work evolved from waking during the night and contemplating the river, trees, and birds at the bottom of the property where I lived. I entered a realm in my mind that had developed from a young age, where the intricate details of life – people, animals, plants, ideas, creativity, questions – fascinated me.

Music has always been a great solace for my mind, heart, and soul. Listening to some of the classic songwriters, I have always been amazed by the craft of their lyrics. I often dreamed of being a songwriter, finding incredible freedom in expressing thoughts and feelings on a day-to-day journey.