My grandmother left a legacy when she passed from this life. In a folder containing hundreds of her unpublished poems I discovered a treasure. Her poems told of her dreams and disappointments, her love and loss, and her resilience in an era of economic depression and world war. Deeply impacting, emotionally challenging, humorous, soulful, and honest her poetry was a creative expression of her life and a healing balm for her grief. It is a wonderful gift to all future generations. This story peeks into a young girl's life filled with challenges. She overcame these challenges and developed into a beautiful young woman. It tells of a young love affair that collapses into a tail of abuse and alcoholism.

It is my hope that this book will encourage others to write about their own family memories and share their gifts with generations of readers all around the world.