In this upcoming season, I’ll be sharing and discussing poems from my various collections, with a special emphasis on my latest book, Inspire Me: Awakening Dreams. The poem I’ll be reading is titled “Strange Thing Grief.” This season is unique as I will be recording video content for YouTube, while the audio will be available on all podcast platforms. We will also feature a few guests who will either read or discuss the poems. I encourage you to join me this season as I explore different approaches to writing poetry. We’ll dive into the inspirations behind each poem, the emotions felt before writing, and various aspects of self-awareness and acceptance, as poetry allows you to be authentic.Today, I’ll discuss my book, Inspire Me: Awakening Dreams, which explores the theme of grief, inspired by my personal experiences. Over two years, I lost my mother, sister, and a close friend. To lighten the book, I included quotes, uplifting poems, and meditations. I’m a survivor, and if you’ve read my previous works, especially “The Little Girl” from my first poetry collection, Inspire Me: Raw, you’ll understand. I’ve faced trauma, but coping with grief is exceptionally tough. You must confront it and move through it because suppressing grief can cause additional pain and unforeseen sadness later. One of the best pieces of advice I received was to dedicate an hour a day or week to looking at pictures, watching videos, or listening to audio of the loved one who has passed. Allow yourself to cry and experience your emotions. This practice can help lessen unexpected emotional triggers, like hearing a song that reminds you of them. The poem I’ll be reading is titled “Strange Thing Grief.“