New England, and particularly New Hampshire, holds fascination and even romanticism for native and tourist alike. This collection of poetry gives the reader a bit of a look into the life that is uniquely New Hampshire, and with it, a look into the mind and heart of one of its natives. From questions of the meaning of life and death to the wonder of nature in the autumn and the majesty of the sea, the poems you will read will open a window to a heart that one rarely sees. Rites of passage, birth, death and everything in between become very real and personal in these pages. Renowned author, Sidney B. Simon, Professor Emeritus, University of Massachusetts, says this about "A Piece of My Heart." 'With the wonder of a searcher, the fierceness of a mother, the passion of a wife, the wisdom of a teacher, and the tenderness of a daughter, Cynthia Ouellette weaves with a golden thread poems to move, inspire, and help us become all we can become." And from the collection: '.I used to wonder what gentleness and tenderness looked like Almost as if I could go to the store and buy a picture And it would define that which I sought But now I need no such visual image-it is in my mind and heart And Your voice, that booming and soothing baritone sound Echoes through my spirit-in the tiniest of whispers." -From 'The Whisper"