Echoes of My Soul

By Lisa Arnold

"Echoes of My Soul" is a powerful debut collection of poems from emerging poet Lisa Arnold. Lisa’s boldly written and vividly expressed poems explore faith, spirituality, fear, death, hope and redemption. The poems included in this captivating book are heart-wrenching and spiritually uplifting as well as fearlessly bold and intense. Lisa touches on various dark themes as well such as isolation, insanity, rage, loss of faith, longing, homelessness and death. "Echoes of My Soul" is a striking debut from a gifted and prolific poet that takes readers on a journey and allows readers to peek inside one woman’s heart and soul.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Casa de Snapdragon
• Release date: Jul 16, 2013
• ISBN: 9781937240189

Lisa Arnold

Lisa Arnold loves to read and write stories. Lisa is a youth author who wrote her first children's book at eleven. She illustrates her stories, sometimes teaming up with her sister, Jessica Arnold.

Book preview

ALL I CRAVE

I am alive with rage.

It pulsates, divinely,

through my icy veins.

I am led by all I can never have.

Like the rush of a heavy August rain,

I am defined by the thrust of my pain.

I live on the brink

of a slippery ridge.

I am alone with all my fears.

With desire, I am afire.

I lust after sorrow.

Deep in self-doubt, I wallow.

On the other side of positive, I dwell.

I pilfer and beg. Of myself, I never give.

It takes so much just for me to live.

I am buried alive by my desires.

Not until I reach my grave,

will I ever stop longing

for all I crave.

AN EXISTENCE

Slipping further,

I am immersed

below

the surface,

my hands are

blistered

and bloodied

from the crawl.

Under veil

of darkness,

I wear this

thin smile

hoping to mask

agony of pain

nestled beneath

my soul's essence.

Crystal raindrops

keep in time with

every hurried footstep

as I, frantically, search

for proof of purpose.

Refusing to believe

I have walked

these many

vacant miles

only to discover

my life is, merely,

an existence.

ANGEL’S BREATH - An Etheree

death

beaten

life granted

another pass

hope given rebirth

angel’s breath on shoulders

gift of sweet sanctuary

rests inside humble callous hands

dawn awakens September morning

gracing an intangible existence

ANOTHER CHILD, ANOTHER MOTHER - An Etheree

Dark

pathway

leads nowhere

dirty-slick streets

wet with August rain

gunshot in near distance

another child lies dying

cut down by the hand of a friend

ambulance rushes, it is too late

another mother cries for her dead son

ANGELIC WINDS

on breath of

angelic winds

taste of freedom

gently glides

crisp ocean waters,

calmly, flow beneath

crystal blue sky

as daylight rises

American bald Eagle

perched on nest

spreads her wings

and takes flight

AT RIVER’S EDGE – A Pensee

echoes

broken, hollow

fall against fierce midnight winds

at river’s edge shadows are cast

storm’s rage has left its path

BABY BIRDS –A Haiku

baby birds

flutter outside window

reminding me to fly

THE BALANCE – 2

suffocating on

bile of lies

desperate for

some kind of an ending

screams carried

far away

by rushing

midnight winds

calling for strength

of angels

while holding

the balance

in the palms

of unsteady hands

THE BALANCE

emptiness erodes

eagerness

emotions strangled

and frayed

impassioned screams

fall hushed

against the tempo

of nothingness

a life immersed

inside solitude

lost soul gravely entangled

wounded heart barely beating

agony swallowed

whole

in the hollow

of dry throat

it festers

sullen eyes, closed,

still baring witness

to encompassing

bitterness and

viciousness of life

walking alongside demons

choking on delusional

drunken cocaine guise

scars on wrists

the same as

so many others

who didn't make

it through

THE BEAT OF THE JAZZ – An Etheree

bright

moon glow

winds silent

distant church bell

echoes thirteen times

drizzle falls, damp asphalt

jazz quartet plays live in bar

traffic backed up, twenty cars deep

car horns blare, bar door slightly ajar

cool beat of jazz awakens city block

CAGES – A Haiku

lions roar

in cages containing

their anger

BEAUTY OF CALM

Gazing at ice blue

tranquil waters. Aroma

of newly blossomed flowers

all around me.

Warm sun upon my face.

Joy and elation tingling

up and down my spine.

A blanket

of green grass beneath

my naked feet.

Gentle caresses

tantalizing my longing body.

Love and contentment

in my heart's temple.

Sweet red wine

tickling down my

parched throat.

Soft music

whispering sweetly

in my ears.

Light breezes

fluttering against

my silky skin.

Laying in

his protective arms,

feeling no more fear

or uncertainty.

Allowing myself

to finally

take pleasure in

the beauty of calm.

BEAUTIFUL MEMORY – For My Father

within an awakening dawn

or an amazing golden sunset,

I witness the graceful presence of you

in the blush of an afternoon breeze

or in the song of a red robin

perched on a twisting vine,

I sense your existence

inside the hum of a late night wind

I hear your encouraging words

whispering in