The poems in this book were written over many years as gifts to my children. I began writing them in the 1970s, when they were reaching the age of reason. As I found myself in the position of becoming a single parent, I wanted to do something special to share with them - something that would become a tradition, a ritual they could count on.

And so the Advent Poems began - one day, decades ago - with a poem 'gifted' to them each day during the Advent period leading up to Christmas, December 1 to December 24. Nearly fifty yers later, my kids still look forward each year to the "gifted" poems that continue a family tradition, and that new generations have come to cherish.

It is my sincere hope that you will embrace and enjoy them and share them

with those you love.

Children of the Lightwas among the early poems I wrote, and is included in each of thePoems of Life and Lovebooks inThe EllisonCollectionand Tapestry.

After writing many hundreds of poems,Children of the Lightis still my favorite. In the process of writing it, the words seemed to spring from my heart, and soul... and flowed so effortlessly that it was written in a single sitting. All I needed to do was capture

the words on paper.

"Light," to me represents all that is good and pure and right with the world, and I believed then - as I do today - that those elements live in my children, and in all of us.

We need only to dare...