Walking with Angels

I didn’t realise that my poems reflected a journey until they were gathered together and arranged in sequence for this book. Before that, they lived in various places around the house, most of them scribbled on scraps of paper or Post-it notes, or the proverbial back of an envelope, and either stuffed in a drawer or languishing in random notebooks in a box. It is time they saw the light of day. Lightness, brightness and hope turned out to be common themes. I had doodled my first poem – ‘Maybe’ – shortly before a momentous, life-changing event took place. My husband was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour in 2009 and given months to live. Fortunately for us and our three sons, he defied the odds and continued to enjoy a remarkably high quality of life for four years before he died, peacefully, in 2013. During these four years, we were living with the knowledge that the end of his life might come at any time. And yet, isn’t that the same for us all? In a funny way, it was a privilege to be put ‘on notice’. Life was brought into sharp focus and perspective. Life was for living right now, and in as an enriching way as possible. All the poems, based on my deep life experience, are offered to uplift, inspire and console. If there is just one which resonates with you, or with someone you know, then I am content. And if you are inspired to follow your dream, please don’t wait. Do it now.