Of my three poetry chapbooks to date, this one means the most to me. Our daughter, Sara, took the cover photograph, which is well-suited for the title and the contents. My husband, Bob, assisted with editing and organizing my poems. This was a collaborative family effort for which I am very grateful.
A key message of Scarred Resilience is that people, despite their physical and/or emotional scars, can empower themselves and move forward with their lives. Given my life-threatening bout with Ehrlichiosis and CMV, as well as the challenges and losses of the pandemic of 2020-2021, I found working on Scarred Resilience was therapeutic. As a breast cancer survivor of almost 25 years, I am happy to take opportunities to celebrate life. I think we’re all ready to move forward.
In my poem of the same title, the first and last stanzas read.
she rubs her fingers
over fresh and faded scars
that serve as emblems of courage
badges of her survival
with an optimistic outlook
she acknowledges her scars
as a lifetime earned
I am so appreciative of the support and encouragement that I continue to receive while on my writing journey.
Suzanne's Words 