From My Soul to Yours with Love introduces the poet-speaker as a cheerful evangelist for Christian values, emphasizing love, forgiveness, and compassion. In her preface, the author writes, “I have experienced many ups and downs in my journey through this life, but I have always known that I am in the special hands of God […] thank you for giving me the chance to share my journey with you!”
The poems that follow are best characterized as inspirational/self-help and religious/spiritual, the sort of light verse found in greeting cards. They employ simple rhyme schemes and familiar sentiments, such as: “The secret that I share is God’s amazing love/ Which comes directly from up above”; and “This journey that you are traveling/ will soon come to an end./ Will you be ready for the next phase/ when the narrow road takes a bend?” Most of Bigham-Belt’s poems are punctuated by the refrain, “Love is the answer!” which is also the free-standing conclusion of the book.
The collection is arranged in seven short chapters with titles such as ”Revelations from My Soul,” “Our Journeys in This Time and Place,” and “God’s Declaration of Love for Us.” Nonetheless, the message of all Bigham-Belt’s poems is essentially the same, imploring readers to “Care for one another with all your heart” and reassuring them that “All the answers we need are deep inside our souls/ We are created as part of the mighty force above.” In this way, the poems are largely interchangeable, each one repeating the same basic ideas. The lines lack the original diction and fresh, compelling imagery of more sophisticated fare, opting instead for plain-spoken sentiment such as: “Let heartaches come few/ and far between.”
While those seeking the aesthetic merit of more accomplished poetry will want to look elsewhere, From My Soul to Yours with Love may appeal to readers looking for soothing words and simple faith-based inspiration.
Also available in hardcover and ebook.
