Silk and Magnolia: Poems

By Rachel Herman

With a shattered heart and yearning for more, author Rachel brings pen to paper as a means of survival. She illuminates the beauty found in chaos through her words. She is passionate about pulling on the heartstrings of others with her experiences with the ultimate goal of connection. She soars off of that cliff, leaving behind toxicity. She lets the wind carry her to the next step, where she is light. She is shedding away layers of repression, and the outcome is liberation.

Soaring from the Midwest to the West Coast above the skies of societies expectations, this collection of poems sheds light on a sequence of hope, chaos, and resilience. Silk and Magnolia is a declaration of endurance and authenticity found in a world of madness and uncertainty.

Home at Last

Waves of emotion fill my chest
As I read your letter. Lips sealed shut from the love written in ink.
Sleeping with paper under my pillow
In hopes you’ll find me
In my dreams.
Reaching out your hand,
Bringing me in for a hug,
I fall asleep to the sound
Of your heartbeat. Home at last.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jun 26, 2022
• ISBN: 9781663240163

Rachel Herman

Rachel Herman grew up in the small town of Clovis, New Mexico, where she spent fifteen years longing to blend into a world she couldn’t resonate with. Growing up, she lost herself in books, basketball, and short stories as the uproar of her existence began seeping in. After losing her job and apartment, she boarded the midnight train to California.

Book preview

Walk with Me

Walk with me beneath the trees.

Embrace the sound of silence.

Ominous, this feeling that we wander without guidance.

Walk with me in the storm,

Face the roaring thunder.

Hands are cold, but hearts are warm,

Keeping us from going under.

The path is steep, but stronger are we, so take the leap

And walk with me.

A Clean Slate

Do you clean the slate

Of your actions before

You rest your head at night?

Sleeping soundly to

White noise and creatures

In the distance.

Waking up to the smell

Of fresh coffee and sounds of the news talking about the weather.

Go on about your day without the fear of where you can and cannot go.

Cause she shakes in terror

From your actions.

If she gets any sleep tonight,

Aching to stay awake

To prevent her little sister from seeing what she sees.

She wakes to the sound of her mother’s cries,

And her father’s legacy burned to the ground.

No weather on TV.

But men standing over

Her bed with rifles to her

Face as she recites

Her grandmother’s

Prayers in her sleep.

Wondering where her

Big brother went some days ago.

He hasn’t returned, her heart races, he’s just twenty years old,

And dreams of taking her away from here.

For she can’t clean the slate

Of your actions

If she isn’t able to

Fall asleep at night.

Spiraling

You are spiraling again.

Nothing is in your control.

You’d confide in a friend,

But you don’t trust a soul.

Your hands start to shake.

Are these thoughts your own?

Have you made a mistake?

Why do you feel so alone?

Your head begins to pound.

You are zoning out again.

But when they come around,

You began to stall.

You are so good at lying,

Like everything is just fine.

Inside, you are trying

To just slow down time.

It’s crazy how easily

You can check out of a room.

It happens so naturally,

And then you resume.

Like you never left at all,

Like nothing is wrong,

You can pick up a call,

And just play along.

Because really, you are spiraling.

And you’re doing your best,

With wide eyes and a smile,

But so heavy on your chest.

Distinguish

It’s hard to distinguish

Between what I have

And what I want.

My heart is foolish,

And it aches without you

But flutters in your

Presence.

It’s like life is passing me by

When you’re not around

And when you are,

I’m alive. I’m