Transforming Poems: A Collection of Inspiring Poetry

By LaTanya Winston and Sandra Winston

TRANSFORMING POEMS is a collection of inspired poetry written by a daughter who transitioned to residency in heaven. Her mother carefully selected sixty poems from the countless pieces of literature she left behind. This book serves as a testament to the enduring power of love and the indomitable spirit of the human soul. Through the heartfelt stanzas of each poem, readers are taken on a rhythmic journey of introspection and discovery of solace in a deeper way. The mother's compilation is not only a tribute to her daughter's creativity but also a source of comfort and inspiration for those evolving and navigating life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Mar 11, 2024
• ISBN: 9781304634672

LaTanya Winston

LaTanya Winston was educated in the public schools of the District of Columbia and Prince George's County, Maryland. She received a Bachelor's of Science degree in Communications Media from Bowie State University. She continued her education at American University as a candidate for a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing.

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

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My daughter LaTanya was one of my greatest joys. She was loving, talented, cared deeply for her family and friends and was an inspiration to everyone she met. From a very young age, she desired to be a poet and journalist one day. I looked forward to the poems she wrote and presented to me every year on my Birthday and Christmas. Eight years after her sudden death, I was ready to go through her personal belongings and came across several storage crates that contained LaTanya’s writings. While my daughter is no longer here to send daily inspirational voice and text messages, the reading of her poems has been a great source of comfort to me on my grief journey. I am now ready to share her talent and inspiration with others by publishing this book.

While choosing the poems for this book and deciding on a name, I was reminded of a quote by Maya Angelou, LaTanya’s favorite writer, which said We delight in the beauty of the butterfly but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.

As a young child, LaTanya was like a caterpillar. Instead of forming a silk cocoon, and hiding until it was transformed into a butterfly, she was an introvert and chose to communicate through writing poems, prayers, and short stories. Like the caterpillar, who after a growth process was transformed into a butterfly, LaTanya, after a spiritual growth and acceptance of her God-given gift of writing, was transformed into an awesome creative writer and poet. As the butterfly helps flowers to grow, LaTanya’s poems offer hope and encouragement to those who are lost or struggling with life’s issues.

These poems, written between 1980 and 2014, have been preserved as a part of her legacy and are being made available in this book to honor a dream she had of telling her story of the goodness of God and how he transformed her life. She believed that her life purpose was to write. She wanted nothing more than to be obedient to God in inspiring and encouraging others through her writing, which was her calling.

It is my prayer that while reading this book and delighting in the beauty of these poems, it will serve as a source of hope and faith and that you will be encouraged by the changes that God took LaTanya through to transform her life. She believed in and lived by her favorite scripture, Isaiah 54:17 No weapon formed against thee shall prosper.

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People are people walking on the street

People are enemies until they meet

Some are hungry, Some are cold

Sitting on the streets all alone

And some just need a warm home

Some take drugs

Some don’t

Some wanna quit

But just won’t

Some are ugly

Some are cute

Some live a life

Of ill repute

Some are tall

Some are small

Some kill

For nothing at all"

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What am I doing in a world

Filled with death and violence

Will this world ever

Be peaceful and silent

What am I doing in a