This major new poetry collection from bestselling poet and priest Malcolm Guite features more than seventy new and previously unpublished works. At the heart of this collection is a sequence of twenty seven sonnets written in response to George Herbert’s exquisite sonnet 'Prayer', each one describing prayer in an arresting metaphor such as ‘the church's banquet’, ‘reversed thunder’, ‘the Milky Way’, ‘the bird of paradise’ and ‘something understood’. In conversation with each of these, Malcolm’s sonnets offer profound insights into the nature of communion with God in all circumstances and conditions. Recognising that all poetry is a pursuit of prayer, After Prayer also includes forty five more widely ranging new poems, including a sonnet sequence on the seven heavens.

"Thanatopsis" is a renowned poem written by William Cullen Bryant, an American poet and editor of the 19th century. First published in 1817 when Bryant was just 17 years old, the poem is considered one of the early masterpieces of American literature. In "Thanatopsis," Bryant explores themes related to death and nature, contemplating the idea of mortality and the interconnectedness of life and death. The title, derived from the Greek words "thanatos" (death) and "opsis" (view), suggests a meditation on the contemplation of death. The poem begins with an invocation to nature, portraying it as a grand and eternal force. Bryant expresses the idea that death is a natural part of the cycle of life, and all living things ultimately return to the earth. He emphasizes the consoling and unifying aspects of death, encouraging readers to view it as a peaceful and harmonious process. "Thanatopsis" reflects the Romantic literary movement's appreciation for nature and its role in shaping human perspectives. Bryant's eloquent language and profound reflections on mortality contribute to the enduring appeal of the poem.

The ordinary moments of life can be sacred, if we simply take a moment to notice. This collection of prayers, poems, and meditations offers a brief respite from the hectic, harried pace of our days. Open it when the spirit moves you or when the spirit feels distant--the words will be here to inspire, calm, and encourage you either way. From gifted poet and empathetic pastor Meta Herrick Carlson, Ordinary Blessings collects blessings for loving yourself, enduring hard things, authenticity, living with others, and the rhythms of each day. Pause, take a deep breath, and open these pages to find that you've been standing on holy ground all along.

The New York Times-bestselling collection of poems from celebrated poet Mary Oliver In A Thousand Mornings, Mary Oliver returns to the imagery that has come to define her life’s work, transporting us to the marshland and coastline of her beloved home, Provincetown, Massachusetts. Whether studying the leaves of a tree or mourning her treasured dog Percy, Oliver is open to the teachings contained in the smallest of moments and explores with startling clarity, humor, and kindness the mysteries of our daily experience.

Thoughts of the Heart, is a collection of snapshots from my personal moments. It was written to encourage every reader to have a good journey in spite of the difficult days you face! It is an easy read and it offers practical points for dealing with everyday life. The reflections are of poems, prayers, passions, keepsakes, and short stories. It provides a variety of feelings expressed in a slightly poetic way. It has an uncommon twist for reasoning with hidden thoughts. It reveals them! Wait, I know there are some things that we must keep to ourselves, and believe me I will! We all know that many thoughts are better off left unsaid. And we should constantly pray down the evil ones. Nevertheless, these thoughts are out! And as you read; you witness my love, my inspiration, my fears, my tears, my hopes, my dreams, and my desire to be open with you. In fact, I gift you with my found treasure. In a nutshell, this book reveals me in a uniquely different and real way! I hope you will find comfort, embrace love, and become moved to action as much as I was compelled to write. Ultimately, I pray you will be inspired to believe that all things are possible through Jesus Christ, think outside of the box of limits, and become motivated to share the amazing gift that God has given you! I encourage you to share your one of a kind self, the self that you were created to share, “Straight from the heart!” We can’t do anything about the past, and we don’t know what the future holds, but we can decide to make the most of the precious moments that we have left! And as you journey on to the end; show the love, make a difference, and highlight your lessons learned then pass them on! In the meantime remember to be simply you, and to find positive and creative ways to express the desires of your heart! Because keeping sentiments, emotions, and love pinned up inside aches the heart, despairs the mind, and keeps you from experiencing your many possibilities! I trust that my perspective will somehow connect with your innermost thoughts and aspirations in one way or another. I hope to spark a positive reaction within you that is unforgettable! So fasten your seat belt and get ready to travel with me through some of my “Memorable Moments,” one page at a time. Please know I wish you well! And whenever you need Christ, He will always be there for you! I promise!

Prayers are so often just "wish and want' lists, without any sense that anyone is even listening to us. But when we make the effort to listen to others, we can learn some surprising things, and this is true in our relationship to God, as well. In thirty-some years of regular church attendance I should have known of God's love. But knowing of something, and actually experiencing it, are two very different things. I learned much, and was comforted much, and even changed much, by the pouring out of my heart and God's outpouring of love in return. I offer here the blessings with which I have been blessed. All praise and thanks to God!

In this small, luminous memoir, the National Book Award-winner Patti Smith revisits the most sacred experiences of her early years, with truths so vivid they border on the surreal. The author entwines her childhood self - and its 'clear, unspeakable joy' - with memories both real and envisioned from her twenties on New York's MacDougal Street, the street of cafés. Woolgathering was completed in Michigan, on Patti Smith's 45th birthday and originally published in a slim volume from Raymond Foye's Hanuman Books. Twenty years later, Bloomsbury is proud to present it in a much augmented edition, featuring writing that was omitted from the book's first printing, along with new photographs and illustrations.

"The selected poems of American poet Christian Wiman"--