Book excerpt: Silent Beauty Speaks is a collection of poems inspired by nature, both within and without. It is the author's interpretation of life and its workings. To the poet, life is more than just the mechanics of biology or the change and course of every season. Life is a rhythmic harmony of language that flows from the speechless mouths of all things living: the power of the rising sun, the mystery of the midnight moon, the allure of the forest, the crashing of the raging seas--all these things inspire thought and reason to combine into a melody of words that flows from the stream of consciousness into the rhyme and rhythm of a song that rises from the depths of the heart! To some, poetry may seem pointless. But to the poet, it is a way of transmitting her longing, expressing her vision, creating beauty with glowing script and breathy language. Some poems are wistful. Others are hard and thoughtful. Whatever the difference, each submits a vision and a longing that the author wishes to convey to her audience. Her poems are not meant to be obscure but are, rather, journeys leading to clearer vision and brighter perspectives. Some poems are mere reflections of life in the present moment, like the beauty of the sun as it sets behind an earthy veil or the quiet peace of midnight as it shadows the sky with the velvet cloak of darkness. Other poems are reflections of faith: the sorrows of life in darkness, the sufferings of humanity, and its need for salvation. Whatever the topic, the author hopes to convey her peace, her longing for creation, and her hope in the promises she believes in and seeks to share them with others. Silent Beauty Speaks is the author's loving work and inspiration of life and all its meanings. 56