The Poet Discusses His Poem, ASKING, From the Book, Beyond These Dark Lands.

The Poem, Asking, a Poem of the Second Answer, is found on page 25 of my book, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy.

I wrote this poem because I hoped it would encourage people in a certain way.

TITLE
The first part of the title is just the word, ASKING. When you are going through dark times, there are many questions you ask yourself and God. It was for those times that this poem was written.

The second part of the title is A Poem of the Second Answer. This is to make you think that we must keep on asking because there is more than the simple common answers that we at first find.

STRUCTURE
This poem is 25 lines long, and each line is four to six syllables long.

The first four lines introduce the question of "why?"
     "The question of "Why?"
     Is a heart-scream of pain."
Lines 5 through 10 acknowledges how hurtful our pain is.
Lines 11 through 17 tell us that pain is real, legitimate, and should be faced.
Lines 18 to the end tell us that there is another question to ask and it may be the most important.

The Fork in the Road
Illustration for the Poem Asking
from Beyond These Dark Lands
Are Edges of Joy

The overall style is blunt and straightforward.

MEANING
There are times in our lives when we are faced with pain, and that pain is so deep that it causes us to doubt God, life, and anything good. It is in those times that we ask the big questions. Pain starts a process in our lives and souls, but we must be sure it is only a start and that we do not stay in the place of pain. Sometimes we need to be intentional about moving on.

SCRIPTURE
The accompanying scripture is from Job, “The righteous keep moving forward, and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger.” Job 17:9, NLT

ILLUSTRATION
The illustration I drew for this poem is of a road going through the countryside, and the road divides in a fork going two opposite ways.

© A.E. Dozat 2019

How an Uber Driver Will Use My Book of Poems in His Ride-share

Why my uber driver friend gives out copies of my book of poems to his riders. 

Let me tell you about it.

Sometimes I work on my writing at one of the cafe areas at the local shopping mall. Glancing up I saw somebody smiling as they approached me. After a moment I realized that this was a dear friend. I asked him to join me and we caught up on what we both have been doing.

My friend is a man of faith and he shared that God is working in his life, some things have gone well and others have not; but he still sees God's loving touch in it all. He explained that driving for uber has helped him to make ends meet. He was excited that driving for a ride-share has given him opportunities to talk to people. Grinning, he said, "It's like I'm a bartender, everybody tells me their problems. They just open up." He offers them the kindness of a listening ear and every day he tells others about his faith in God.

I felt that God was speaking to me to give him some extra copies of my book of poems of encouragement, and his face lit up. He told me that it was a great idea to give copies to people who rode in his uber and that he would keep a few in the back of his car for his riders..  He reminded me that there are times when such a book will speak to someone's heart in ways that a sermon or minister couldn't. He said he knew people would be blessed and encouraged by the poems in the book. He said that just having copies for his riders to see will open up doors of opportunity to speak about God.

Of course, I appreciated the encouragement and felt very humbled by his praise. I hope he has many opportunities to share his faith and the book. I pray that God will be honored and people will be encouraged.

To order my book at wholesale directly from the printer CLICK HERE.

I am very excited that this book of encouraging poems is now available on Amazon. Amazon seems to be the way that people want to shop, so I am glad to make it available on their site. 

I did not write this book to make money but to be an encouragement to others.  That is why I priced it so low. I do not make much and what I do make I use to buy copies for those who need it and cannot afford it. 

© A.E. Dozat 2018

Why I Give Poetry to the Homeless

I am glad to share my book of poems with people, and it fills me with joy to share it with someone who is feeling down or oppressed. It is a book of encouragement and hope, and ideal for those who are needy.

While stopped at a light a homeless man with a sign asking for handouts approached the car. I gave him five dollars, and a copy of my book of poems of encouragement and hope. There was only a moment of time before the light would change, but I took the moment to tell him that I wrote this book of poems for him and I hoped it would give him encouragement and hope. He was grateful and said that he is looking forward to reading the poems.

I do not know what he appreciated more, the book or the five dollars, but I was glad for the encounter. If my life was different, it could easily have been me standing there asking for hand-outs. He is a man who is made in the image of God just as I am, he is a man whom my Savior died for and a man who once had a mother just like me. But I had an opportunity to show him some kindness. I hope that when I am in the time of need others will reach out to me too.

I know that my book encourages people who read it. People who read it tell me that it inspires them and that it helps in their troubled times.

I hope that he gets on his feet and finds happiness, and I hope he finds faith in a loving God.

I give this book away at every opportunity as an act of love, and sell it for as low a price as I can so others may do the same.

If you are in need of encouragement or know someone who does you should order a copy today, you will glad to have this book.

© A.E. Dozat 1/6/18

The Perfect Thank You Gift, Illustrated Poems of Encouragement and Faith

I am humbled and amazed when people contact me to request copies of my book of poems, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy.

To order directly from my printer and receive wholesale pricing, CLICK HERE.

Recently, a lady contacted me to order ten copies as thank you gifts for friends who worked with her on a committee she leads. She said the book of poems was so moving and inspirational that she felt she had to give a copy to each person.

She wanted to give something to each person after they put on a big event. In the past, she would give each one a $5.00 gift card for a donut shop or coffee shop. She decided that, although it would cost twice as much, she would make a book gift instead. She felt it was the right thing to do since several persons were going through difficult times with loss and discouragement.

I am grateful that God uses my book of poems to encourage and comfort people with His love.

I am very excited that this book of encouraging poems is now available on Amazon (see the link below). Amazon seems to be how people want to shop, so I am glad to make it available on their site. 

I did not write this book to make money but to be an encouragement to others.  That is why I priced it so low. I do not make much, and what I do make, I use to buy copies for those who need it and cannot afford it. 

© A.E. Dozat 2018

The Poet Explains His Poem, Your Tears Are Not In Vain.

Is there any good in crying, or is it all meaningless grief?

This is an exceptional special poem, and even though it is short and seems dark at first, it points to deep and hopeful meaning in our times of sorrow.

This poem is from the book of poems of comfort and hope titled BEYOND THESE DARK LANDS ARE EDGES OF JOY. 

TITLE
The title of this poem is in two parts, like all of my poems in this collection. It begins by acknowledging that we have sorrow and tears. It further points out that there is a purpose in our grief and sorrow. The second part of the title is A Poem of Divine Virtue, and of course, the Divine refers to God. The Virtue brings us to think of the good He does.

STRUCTURE
It is a short poem since it is 15 lines long. The lines form only four sentences. Each line is six syllables except for the last one, which uses five syllables for impact.

MEANING

Illustration for the Poem,
Your Tears are Not in Vain,
From Beyond These Dark Lands
Are Edges of Joy
By A.E. Dozat © 2018

The title gives away the meaning. But the poem develops the point with several provocative statements that define God's purpose for our tears.
The opening line challenges the common belief that sorrow is meaningless,
"Tears are a gift from God:"
Line four presents the idea that our time of sorrow is not permanent and has an end,
"For once your tears are spent
And your grieving is done..."
Then we are lead to an image in lines six through eight of becoming free from the things that grief brings to hold us back.
Line 10 begins the conclusion,
"God gave tears to teach us,
They instruct us in hope."
Lines 13 through 15 speak of the ultimate hope in God.
Truly, it says a lot in a few words.


ILLUSTRATION
The illustration for this poem is a pen drawing of a path disappearing into the distance. For a twist, the road is made not earth but flowers.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE
The scripture footnote to the page is, "Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them." Psalm 126:6, NIV

This poem gives hope to those who are going through loss and suffering. It says there is meaning to our tears, and tears teach truths that only those who suffer can know.  You may find it on page 19 of the book, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy Words of comfort and Hope, to read the poem.

To read a review, CLICK HERE.

YOUR TEARS ARE NOT VAIN,

A Poem of Divine Virtue

Tears are a gift from God;

They come not from weakness

But from a soul in growth.

For once your tears are spent

And your grieving is done 

Then you are ready to walk

From the cold black shackles

Whose chains bind our hearts

And keep them earthbound.

God gave tears to teach us. 

They instruct us in hope.

For surely those who weep

Are the ones who know that

Resurrection cannot

Come without a tomb.

© A.E. Dozat 8/13/18

The Poet Explains His Meaning in the Poem, Not Only Are You Known

My Poem, Not Only Are You Known, is a poem of comfort and hope that may touch you on many levels of your life.

To get it through Amazon CLICK HERE.

TITLE
The full title is, Not Only Are You Known, a Poem about God. I choose these long titles to break away from the current trend to give minimal titles and to engage the reader's curiosity from the beginning.

The long title also suggests a key to understanding the poem. For this poem, there are two keys to understanding it. First, "Known," makes the point that we are known, but there is more to it than us simply being known by some universal awareness.
The second part of the title is, "A Poem About God." This takes us away from ourselves and brings us to God. People have a naturally self-aware view of life and see things from a self-vantage point, but I wanted to take us to God's vantage point and explore His view of us.

STRUCTURE

Illustration for the poem, Not Only Are You Known,
From Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges Of Joy
by A.E. Dozat © 2018

This poem is 24 lines long and forms six sentences. Most of the lines are three to five syllables. The short lines give emphasis and slow the reader down, so they do not miss the meanings in the poem. The first section is made up of five "God knows you" statements.
God knows you
With all your flaws,
And He accepts you.

Line 16 starts the second section with

And since
God knows...

The poem begins with God's general knowledge of us and then goes to His knowledge that moves Him to act for us. 

Lines 20 to the end describes God's act of sending Christ to fulfill our greatest need. That need is echoed in the theme of knowing.

MEANING
The meaning of this poem is that God knows you with all your flaws and he also accepts you completely. But he knows you have not only flaws and sins, but you have a need that you cannot meet on your own; so He sent his Son, Christ, to die as our Savior and become the answer to that need.

ILLUSTRATION
The illustration for this poem is a drawing of a cross beside a road that leads over the side of a mountain.

SCRIPTURE
The scripture that accompanies this poem is, "And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world." 1 John 4:14, NIV

This poem offers comfort that you do not need to hide or run from God because He already knows you and He accepts you. It offers hope through the Gospel that Christ came to bring us to God so we can know His love.

To read the poem you may find it on page 18 of the Book Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy Words of comfort and Hope

© Adron 7/23/18

The Author Explains His Poem, Not Only Are You Known, A Poem about God

My poem, Not Only Are You Known, is a poem of great encouragement. It is from my book of poems, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges Of Joy, Words of Comfort and Hope. This is a book that will uplift and encourage someone who is going through difficult times.

You can order your copy directly from the printer at wholesale prices. CLICK HERE.

TITLE
I chose this title because I wanted to cause a little curiosity about God's knowledge of you. Of course, as an all-knowing God, he knows your existence, but I want to prompt that there is more to it than that. Yes, God knows you, but that is only the beginning.

STRUCTURE
The simplicity of this poem makes it beautiful. It is only four sentences, and the sentences are broken up into 22 lines. Most of the lines are three, four, or five syllables with a few being six. The praise, "God knows you," is repeated six times each time expressing the depth of His knowledge of you. For example the first is,
God knows you
With all your flaws,
And He accepts you.

Illustration for the poem,
Not Only Are You Known,
From the book,
Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy
© A.E. Dozat 2018

Each of these "God knows you" statements reaffirms God's love and acceptance of you. In lines 13 - 22 the poem leaps to the ultimate affirmation of God's love where He knows we needed a savior and He provided one. 

MESSAGE
On the surface, this appears to be about how God knows you with all your imperfections; but it concludes by saying that God knew that you needed a savior and sent Christ to be our salvation. The poem assures the reader that although God knows your failings, He still desires to have a relationship with you.

ILLUSTRATION
Illustrations of a road unite the poems of this book. For this poem, I drew a cross beside a mountain road to emphasize The Savior who died to pay for our sins.

This poem is for a person who feels that they could never come to God because they are too evil, or have committed some unforgivable sin. This poem helps them to see that God knows their failings and still sent His son to become their Savior. No matter how far you are from God remember that Christ is still the way back.

THE SCRIPTURE REFERENCE
And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. 1 John 4:14, NIV.

NOT ONLY ARE YOU KNOWN,

A Poem about God

God knows you

With all your flaws,

And He accepts you.

God knows you

With all your trash,

And He esteems you.

God knows you

With all your vice,

And He treasures you.

God knows you

With all your bad,

And He watches for you.

God knows you

With all your sins,

And He loves you.

And since

God knows

That you

Could never find Him

He sent His Son

To die for you

And be the way,

So you could know

Him.

 Adron 6/23/18

You can order your copy directly from the printer and receive the wholesale price. CLICK HERE.

What Did the Author Mean in His Poem, The Perspective?

What is the poem, The Perspective, about? It is not a very complicated poem and has a simple message that anyone can appreciate, a message that points us to God.

I wrote it to help people consider how they relate to God during their struggles. I hope it helps them to see God in a larger way.

THE TITLE
What does the title have to do with the poem?  A perspective is a point of view or point of reference used to relate one against another.  The subtitle, "A Poem about the Measure," is the clue that explains the poem. It challenges you to question your focus.

STRUCTURE
It looks like free-verse, and it is even less structured than most of my poems because it is built on a popular saying that you see online often. I did not overwork it because I thought it would look like a pretentious couching of a simple saying.

THE POEM

THE PERSPECTIVE,  

A Poem about the Measure

We all face a Goliath

At some time or other

And do desperate battle.

In our feeble strength,

We flail at him with 

Puny weapons,

And find our armor

Is inadequate 

As we take dire wounds. 

Then we rush to tell God

That this demon 

Is just too big-

When all the time we should

Illustration for Poem, Perspective
From the book of poems
Beyond These Dark Lands
© A.E. Dozat 2018 

Declare to this devil 

How big our God is.

This poem is very blunt and to compensate it I wrote it in a soft voice using "we" and "our" instead of "you" and "your."

It starts out with the struggle:
"We all face a Goliath"
And
"We flail at him with 
Puny weapons,"
Then we start to get to the point at line 10,
"We rush to tell God
That this demon
Is just too big..."
The last three lines wrap everything up with a declaration of the greatness of God.

WHAT IT MEANS
When you get the book and read this poem, you will quickly see the message that we focus too much on our problems, and do not see God as big enough to conquer them.

This poem is illustrated with a road that leads to distant mountains which rise out of the mist, in the center of the road is a rock that is insufficient compared to the mountain.

© Adron 5/20/18

The Author Explains His Poem, Patience, A Poem of Him Who Watches

PATIENCE, A Poem of Him Who Watches, is found on page 13 of my Book, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy, Words of Comfort and Hope.

I wrote this poem as encouragement for those who feel that they are going through a long time of hardship.

TITLE
The title is two-sided. At first, it could be that we are going through the dark time and must be patient, but, the subtitle, A Poem of Him Who Watches, might be about how God watches over us through our long night, or that we are watching for deliverance through the night. This open-ended title starts the reader thinking right from the beginning.

STRUCTURE
The poem is 26 lines long with grouped rhythms to speed up or slow down the reader. The first nine lines are the opening statement. Lines 1-6 are all short and move quickly, followed by two lines of both five syllables then line 9 is six syllables. The opening combines not only place and time but also experience.
"Those who have lived
only

Illustration for the Poem, Patience,
A Poem of Him Who Watches.
From the Book,
Beyond These Dark Lands are Edges of Joy
© A.E. Dozat 2018

under the cold stars..."

Faith is explored in lines 10 to 19, They vary in length between four or five syllables
"Faith knows the sun
will certainly rise..."

Lines 20 through 22 talks about the comfort of faith that is based on truth.

The poem concludes in lines 23 through 26 by declaring that our patient faith proves our love for God.

MEANING
The metaphor of the stars makes us face eternity with a sense of our smallness and ignorance of what is beyond our place and time. But faith hopes for the dawn and watches in that hope because we know our patient waiting is evidence of our faith in God who is also watching over us.

ILLUSTRATION
The poem is illustrated with a pen drawing of a road leading to the sunrise.

THE LESSON THIS POEM TEACHES
Our lives are a living statement. How we react to suffering speaks to others. This poem helps people see that their reaction to trials must come from a mature thought-out faith. It shows the purpose of enduring hardship.

There are many reasons and explanations for our suffering and no one answer suffices for all, but this poem says that our enduring faith in God during hardships proves our love for God.

The poem is accompanied by this scripture:
“However, as it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’ -- the things God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9, NIV.

This poem like all the poems in this collection gives comfort and hope.

© Adron 5/2/18

The Families With Special Needs Conference Request My Book

I was surprised when in a meeting today at work Tom, the Chief Operating Officer, asked me if I was going to the Families With Special Needs Conference in Baltimore next Saturday and if I was going would I bring copies of the book, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy, Words of Comfort and Hope. Tom is involved with Special Needs Family Ministry since his teenage son is severely disabled. He will be one of the key presenters at the conference. He added that families with special needs members are families who have hurt at one point or other and need encouragement and he said he was sure that the book would be a blessing to those families.

I was surprised and not prepared for this. I did not think my book would be such a blessing to people.

I was ashamed to tell him that I wasn't planning on attending the conference because my daughter is coming home for the weekend.

Others in the office are involved in the conference and offered to take some books and give them space on their exhibit table for attendees to purchase. If my coworkers felt the book would be meaningful to those dealing with special needs family members then I know I should go and help with the book table at least for a few hours.

I am overwhelmed by the generosity of my friends and humbled by their encouraging comments about the book and how it is a blessing to many.

© A.E. Dozat 4/23/18