This book is the product of meeting on Zoom for over a year on the first Saturday of each month for the Poetry Is Life Restorative Writing Group, sponsored by Stewart’s Caring Place. In this group we talk about life and how cancer has impacted us. With cancer being such a serious personal issue, each participant has approached the group with a positive mindset. Each person has been open to sharing their experiences in a creative way with hopes to give hope, healing, inspiration, encouragement, and love through poetry.

Each person has showed undeniable strength, power, and perseverance. Never letting cancer consume them, rather leaning on faith, family and friends to help get through it. There have been different themes for the groups. From writing to our younger selves, to writing about love, to writing about cancer, to writing about nature, to writing about being thankful, to writing about the many blessings of new beginnings. One of the best things about this group is the natural chemistry and connection. It is a real source of strength, love, hope, peace, creativity, understanding, and healing. It is my honor to be a part of this group and share poetry, life, hope, and healing with such wonderful people.      -Jason F. Blakely