Beyond Me: Poems About Spirit in Scripture, Psychotherapy, and Life

Excerpt

Beyond Me: Poems about Spirit in Scripture, Psychotherapy, and Life by Carroll Arkema was a startling and profound collection that captured critical life circumstances and events in the poet’s life. These 18 poems were a delight to read and reread. Arkema is a pastoral psychotherapist and a marriage and family therapist who describes what being a poet has provided him. He states, “(I)n addition to being therapeutic for me, writing poetry allows me to explore the intricacy and complexity of existence—as captured also in Scripture—and gives me a framework for accessing sometimes detailed memories.” In addition, he hopes “that the Reader resonates with some of what (he’s) written, and catches yet another glimpse of the Mystery inherent in persons and in life and relationships.” For this reader, I can attest to his success. …