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.