A Better Way to Smile

By Eric B Smith

This book is about celebrating life through adversities. You will find poems that speak life while viewing love as a catalyst. Things that are tangible and real still holds preference for many hearts. A simple genuine smile is sometimes all people need to keep going. One may endure much to finally embrace realness and peace. Conquering life and its many challenges may very well start with ourselves. The purpose of this book is to shine a light on hope. Always striving, achieving, and growing, is a good recipe to live by. As we continue to live together, let us love together, build together, endure together, and maybe smile together.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Eric B Smith
• Release date: Dec 25, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215883709

Eric B Smith

BIOEric Bruce Smith was born and raised in Oakland, California, on the eastside in a community, known as Brookfield Village. He's a proud father of three beautiful children and one grandson.Smith is the author of “The Hidden Peace In Poems” published in 2021. These poems were an expression of Smith’s love for his family, friends, and his community. The book cover artwork was drawn by his daughter Serena Lea Smith.Some of Smith's earlier accomplishments in literature planted the seed, signifying there would be more to come. Smiths' poem “In My Pocket There's A Mirror” is published in “Reflections of The Soul”, by The Poetry Guild, Ohio, 1997. He has work published in the Oakland Public Library found in book titled “Images and Voices of the Gold Rush”, edited by Joyce E Young, 1998. The poems are titled "Voices Of The Gold Rush" and "Effects Of The Gold Rush".The Hidden Peace in Poems was featured in the January's edition of Publishers Weekly Magazine, 2022.Smith’s book “The Hidden Peace In Poems” was critically reviewed by Author Reneé Drummond-Brown and published by Jerry Langdon of Erlangen, Germany, in the “Raven Cage Poetry and Prose Ezine-Issue #77.” Smith’s poetic works also appear in Issue #78, both in the year 2023.Smith, appeared as a guest panelist on P. English Literature Global Writers Conference, hosted by Peter Okonkwo, of Nigeria, 2022. Smith, is also an author select for magazines and Anthologies titled “the Writing On The Wall Global Magazine-Issue 1and Issue 2”, and “It's Our Poems and We're Stickin’ to It Anthology” by Author Reneé Drummond-Brown and Renowned Writers from across the globe, 2023.During Black History Month, February, 2023, Smith, appeared as a guest author on R3 Realeyes Realives Realize Book Club. His book “The Hidden Peace In Poems” was well received on that segment.

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Copyright ©2023 by Eric Bruce Smith. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations used in articles, or reviews.

This poetry book is a work of fiction. The author shares his life experiences through poetry in an engaging way. Speaking out loudly with the heart is a unique form of communication.

ISBN: 9798388566539 (Paperback)

ISBN: 9798852326607 (Hardcover)

Edited by Robert Lee Wilson III

Cover Design/Formatting by MIBLART

https://miblart.com/

Cover Photo courtesy of Michaela D. Smith

Profile Picture by Jamil A. Smith

Other Pictures by Eric B. Smith

For inquiries contact the author at:

[e-mail]

The author may also be reached on social media at:

https://www.facebook.com/bayliterature/

where he is the founder of Bay Lit Reading,

a book recommendation page for authors and writers.

Bay lit reading on Instagram

https://baylitreading.com/

Manufactured in the United States of America

This Poem Book Is Dedicated To

My Big Sister

Author Sharon Clark

She is the writer of a beautiful family heirloom

titled My Dear And Happy Foods 2014

Thank you, sister, for your sacrifice and diligence

for the preservation of life.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PRELUDE

CHAPTER ONE: SOUL II SOUL

MY SOUL’S KEEPER

A BETTER WAY TO SMILE

THE GIVERS

LIVING FOR TODAY

WHAT MOMMA SAY

MY STORY

SHINE

SALVAGING HAPPINESS

THIS LIFE

WHO

HOPE

THE ALTAR

WHEN YOU KNOW

THE FENCE

DIRE PRAYER

SMILE

SARCASTIC PAIN

LIFE

WE WILL NEVER KNOW

I ACCEPT

ANGELS PASSING

WAYS OF THE WORLD

STRENGTH AND SOUL

OUR PLIGHT

CARING ONES

DON’T LET ME DRY MY EYES

BREAKTHROUGH

DRY MY EYES

YOU MUST DECIDE

I SMILED

THE WRONG ONES

YOU CAN SMILE

EYES ON ME

THOUGHTS ON LIFE

I AM WHAT I AM

MISUNDERSTOOD

MINDSET

SOME QUESTIONS

AT THE WATER

PRISONER OF MY SOUL

YOU’RE NOT ALONE

LOST IN THE REDWOODS

ACCOUNTABILITY

SMILE SISTER

SO, I WAIVER

I AM EDEN

RELEASE

CHAPTER TWO: II BE LOVED

I WISH

MY PROMISE TO YOU

GRACEFUL HEARTS

WHEN I LOVE YOU

AMAZING YOU

DAUNTING LOVELESS

SOMEWHERE IN THERE

RESTRICTED TEARS

LOVE STAY

CLOSE TO YOU

WHEN THE EARTH KISSED ME BACK

OPEN YOUR EYES

HEY SISTER

YOU READY

THAT KIND OF LOVE

ROCK AND SPIRIT

MORE LOVE

THOUGHTS OF YOU

UNNECESSARY LOVE

I LEARNED TO LOVE

ON THE OTHER SIDE

FOREVER LOVE

LOVELESS NEED LOVE TOO

MAYBE

LOVE CAN HELP

LOVE QUEST

TO BE LOVED

WITH OR WITHOUT YOU

LOVE STUTTER

LOVES NEEDED

THE END

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

CLOSING THOUGHTS

PRELUDE

The poems that grace the pages of this book may trigger emotions buried deep in the soul. They are intended to encourage, uplift, and draw spirits closer.

My sister Sharon Clark wrote the word sacrifice across my heart before I even knew what it meant. She reached with care and prepared me for love through the deeds of her heart. Sharon honored the words of a mother’s cry to take care of her little ones. A powerful bond between mother and daughter where love was the nucleus of something much greater. Beginning with a mother’s touch, powerful emotions were brought to life. As my big sister stood by our mother’s deathbed, she consumed our mother’s precious words. Powerful emotions brought to life from a loving mom to a caring daughter, that even when her time here was coming to an end, she only thought of her children.

I, Eric Bruce Smith am one of the little ones my mom spoke of. My sister being only a teenager herself made sure I always had everything I needed. I know I got on her nerves as a kid. When I grew older, I realized her sacrifices and for that, she will always be special to me.

Living with seven brothers and one sister was never boring. There was always a lot of