It Just Is: Poems For the Journey. This item is unavailable.It Just Is: Poems For the Journey

Like good music, good poems often take you where prose cannot.We know so little about the universe and ourselves; but occasionally we get glimpses of truth.Some of the most profound truths can only be expressed in poetry. Sometimes, poems can say in a few lines what entire books fail to say.Poems reveal blind spots and contradictions. They challenge long held ideas that no longer ring true. They remind us there is always more to the story.Poems stir emotions. They help us get out of our heads, and into our hearts where deeper truths hide.Poems heal. They reveal connections in a world full of disconnections. They help us let go of past disappointments, and live more fully in the present.Poems are like life, full of mysteries and miracles. Don’t rush them. Give them your full attention.The Universe speaks most clearly through a poem. Perhaps the Universe is a poem.

John Alan Shope graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1979. After serving as a pastor for many years, he became disenchanted with institutional religion. He spent the next 25 years immersing himself in various belief systems, encompassing both religion and science. He worked as a criminal justice professional and researcher for the State of Georgia for 20 years. He has written articles for numerous publications. He continues to ponder the big questions while relaxing with his wife of 40 years in an old house boat on Lake Sidney Lanier. He and Nancy have 4 children and 8 grandchildren. Contact: johnalanshope@gmail.com