Winter's Invitation is a collection of poems that invites you to pause just as the holiday season draws us into its demands and incessant activity. These poems provide a sanctuary for quiet reflection and a resource for high energy and excitement of the season. They are lyric and elegant with a resonance and rhythm that moves through the words. They vibrate with meaning on levels that surprise the reader with each new reading, not just at the holidays, but throughout the year. Reading the poems engages us in the deeper significance of the holidays, the light festivals and traditions, both ancient and personal, that we cherish. Their meaning is always one of resilience, compassion and peace.

Your poems take my breath away. The theme of quiet is powerful and one that I’d resonated with on a deep, deep level, my soul savors the words and images and smiles with understanding. I was struck by the message of your poems with how much I could have a far-reaching effect in my everyday life--not only as a therapist. My thanks for getting me in touch with that. It adds a different dimension to my everyday chore-oriented life. How wonderful that you have the gift of poetry. Thank you for enriching me with your gift. Anne Sitarz, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist Your poetry is beautiful. You’re at the heart and soul of the universe and have expressed it, as few are able to do so. Thank you so very much for sending me a copy of “A Winter Legend”. I believe that I will frame this and hang it on a wall or that I can read it to remind me that burdens, real or imagined, old or recent, can be dropped, lesson can be learned. Wisdom to feel, to sense, to know when to discard the burden--give the body, the brain, the emotions, a rest. Keep a ‘twig’ to carry to perhaps remind not to become callous/unfeeling, perhaps to also remind life may bring other burden twigs and the bundle may well become heavy again and again as we travel the road of life. Carolyn Williams,