Poetry is an expression. It’s a piece of the writer, glitter sprinkled across a page during the act of defining the moments of our lives and the meanings of our thoughts. Rereading a poem years later still evokes the same responses that fueled its formation. A poet is often favored through history due to his ability to express the rigors of life, or her vision of a love that resonates through all ages.

And then there are poets like me.

I didn't (and don't) aspire to become some great poet, known throughout the world for amazing wordplay. I believe in poetry as therapy. Especially during the hardest times in life, such as puberty or a divorce, expressing yourself is essential. Trapped emotions can cause stress, damaging your health and wellbeing.

In my previous book Dark-Hearted: Poetry from the Dark Side of the Heart, I shared dozens of poems written in my darkest moments. They were full of my harshest self-loathing, my deepest anger, and my saddest regrets. Each poem was a beautiful bruise, a scar where some part of life had been too sharp for me to handle safely.

In this book, I share with you the lighter side of poetic therapy. Puppy love, friendship, and romance mingle with poems on living as a military child, losing young love, and finding yourself. The most important goal of this book is to share with you my proof:

Poetic therapy is beautiful!