Poetry For Everyone
Poetry Across Ages
I write poems to help us face what life places in our path—moments of loss, change, and discovery that can feel too heavy to carry alone.
As a teacher, storyteller, and mythic architect, I’ve learned that words can be lanterns: they light the way for children who need gentle explanations, and they open new doors for adults who want to see with more compassion.
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For children: My books offer verses that make sense of difficult life events, giving them comfort and clarity in language they can hold onto.
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For adults: My collections invite reflection, asking us to pause, to care more deeply, and to imagine new ways of listening and living.
These books are not just poetry—they are companions for the journey. Each one is crafted to be read, shared, and returned to, whether in the quiet of a classroom, the stillness of a living room, or under the stars.
Explore the titles below and find the volume that speaks to your story.
My Thoughts on the Meaning of Poetry
Poetry is the language we turn to when ordinary words fall short. It is not simply a matter of rhyme or rhythm, but a way of distilling experience into something elemental—an echo of feeling that lingers beyond the page. In every stanza, meaning is not handed over like a fact but invited, like a guest, to sit with us and unfold slowly.
Meaning in poetry is never fixed; it shifts with the reader, the moment, the silence between lines. A poem may begin as the writer’s truth, but it becomes the reader’s mirror, reflecting back their own longing, memory, or hope. This is why poetry endures: it is both deeply personal and endlessly communal, a bridge between voices across time.
For me, poetry is not about solving life’s mysteries but honoring them. Each poem is a ritual of attention, a way of saying that even the smallest gesture—a shadow at dusk, a child’s laughter, a teacher’s weary sigh—contains infinite resonance. Meaning is not something we chase; it is something we recognize, waiting quietly in the cadence of words.
D.B. Stryker
Poetry that Teaches, Heals, and Connects
The Compass That Pointed Towards Feelings
A mythic journey of emotional literacy, belonging, and sacred connection.
What if your feelings were a map? What if every tear, every burst of joy, every quiet ache pointed toward something sacred?
In this luminous, emotionally resonant picture book, two children discover a magical compass that doesn’t point north—it points inward. Through twenty painterly spreads and poetic refrains, readers follow a mythic journey across forests, flames, and stars, learning to trust their feelings as guides. Each verse unlocks a new emotional landscape, inviting readers of all ages to walk hand in hand through grief, love, courage, and connection.
Whether you’re four or forty, this compass will point you toward your light.
The Leaf That Was Afraid to Fall
A luminous journey through change, love, and renewal.
When a golden leaf trembles at the edge of its branch, it begins a sacred descent through wind, wonder, and whispered wisdom.
The Leaf That Was Afraid to Fall is a mythic, emotionally resonant picture book that guides readers of all ages through the cycles of transformation, belonging, and rebirth.
Whether you're a child discovering the seasons of change, a teen navigating identity and loss, or an adult seeking emotional clarity, this book offers a gentle hand through life’s transitions.
The Leaf That Was Afraid to Fall is more than a story—it’s a ritual of remembrance and rebirth.
The Mask That Wanted to be Seen
A myth for anyone who hides to survive - and longs to be known
This book is not just a story, but a ritual. A mythic invitation to unmask gently, to be witnessed fully, and to walk beside others who've done the same. It speaks to children who've felt invisible, to teens who've learned to disappear, and to grown-ups who still carry the weight of silence.
May this book be a lantern for the quiet ones. May it echo in classrooms, bedrooms, and hearts.