Poetry is a way of life, a way of celebrating many aspects of nature, both dark and light. To celebrate life through poetic exploration is the aim of much Elizabeth Martina Bishop's vibrant work. That being said, poetry can be found everywhere, in ordinary rituals of daily life. Poetry is a way of meeting the challenges of life as well. Poetry provides ways that aspects of both inner and outer lives may balance and compliment each other. The poetry you find within these pages is not seen as a rarified art form, rather it is seen as a talk story, a way of telling a story that decorates almost all the ample rooms of the heart.