2: Made new

Spinning and shaking alone in despair, crying with a broken heart that is beyond repair.  The room goes silent, I hear my own breath. Fading into blackness I know I near death. Thoughts of my past come and flood my head. Images of angels tell me I’m dead. I see them dancing on the walls. Light is shining as glory falls. I see the light, the light of God, I have entered the place, where angles trod. My dark thoughts are gone, what I feel is free. I feel warmth and compassion, who I’m meant to be. I’m meant to feel joyful and not to feel sad. In His presence I have found my Heavenly dad. He speaks to me with a loud booming voice, tell me my son why you’ve made this choice. I gave you everything you could ever need, but it wasn’t good enough so you took the lead. You had a wife and daughter and beautiful home, but you let your demons take over and you started to roam. You wandered off the path that I had made, and turned your life into a big parade. You turned to the bottle instead of to me! I could’ve saved you, you would be free! You then turned from drinking to turning to a drug, Alone and comatose on a vomit filled rug. Your whole family left and you had no one to care, but I still loved you! More then I could bare! That’s why I’ve brought you to me to have this talk, I’m sending you back so you can walk the walk! I’m putting your broken pieces back into place, you’re a new creation now with a purpose filled race. Call to me my son when you are at the end! Open up my mom Word, find the hope that I send! Don’t go back to your old way, watch your life change every time you pray! Go back now to your body my beautiful son, I have forgiven your past, what is done is done. Suddenly I’m thrust backward and my soul is thrown, back in my body I let out a groan. I’m alive again, and I am made new. I hope this poem will soon help you.

Backstory: I had a very real and extremely intense dream 5 years ago about meeting Jesus face to face, I was going through a lot of personal struggles and major depression and crippling anxiety, I woke up from that dream at 3 am and wrote this poem in 10 minutes. This was definitely a blessing. I hope this poem will inspire you to trust in Jesus and allow Him to change your life like He did for me.

42: Through the Eyes of a Dog

Once clear and bright his eyes are now old, his heart however is still as precious as gold. His sight may be fading and seeing less of this Earth, but his purpose remains as true as the day of his birth. Through the eyes of a dog, he sees your pain. His tears match yours, both falling like rain. Through the eyes of a dog, he sees a best friend. More than an owner, you’re the sails to his wind. Through the eyes of a dog, he sees your face… he sees your smiling eyes and such sweet grace. Through the eyes of a dog he sees that stick. He sprints to fetch it, drop it, and then gives you a lick. Through the eyes of a dog he sees the most beautiful view… and that beautiful view is a mirror as he looks back at you…

Backstory: On May 8th, 2025 my wife and I were blessed start our first day of dog and house sitting for some friends of my parents! Their dog named Argus, is a very beautiful dog, kind and gentle and has big brown eyes. As he was sitting and staring up at me, it struck me that I should write a poem about what a dog sees hence the name through the eyes of a dog. Argus gave me the idea, but my true inspiration came from my first dog Bruiser. He was a yellow lab. He passed away at 13 on my 13th birthday. I remember looking into his cloudy old eyes, as much as they were clouded, I could clearly see the love… I hope you enjoyed this poem.

22: Wet A Line

Let me set the scene, I am in a stunning place, beams of warm sun, shine down on my face. Fishing pole in one hand, tackle box in the other, last time I fished years ago I was with my brother. Now I've got my son with me tagging along, trekking through the woods and humming a song. We reach our destination, a cool and slow moving creek, my son looks at me and says this is the best ever week. I smile and nod, while I bait his hook this is no doubt the best trip we've ever took. We cast out our lines and take in, the picture perfect views. The sun setting on the water gives off incredible hues. Suddenly, my pole dips forward and I feel a bite! My son cheers me on as I struggle and fight! I pull out of the water a seven pound bass. The water becomes peaceful and once more becomes glass. I say your turn son, give it a cast! This memory is going to be one that will last. This last year was hard for both me and my son but now we have a break and are having some fun. I got one dad! He yells as he starts reeling it in, I see the surprise in his eyes has his reel starts to spin. You’ve got this son, don’t give up yet! It's a beauty, keep reeling, it is yours to get! He summons the strength and pulls it out of the water, stumbles back a bit and begins to totter. He is so proud of himself filled with smiles and joy! I say to him wohoo! Now that’s a fish my boy! He looks at me with big blue eyes, gives me a hug and gently sighs. Thank you so much dad, it was such a fun time. I love fishing with you dad, it ought be a crime. As we walk back to the truck and smell the sweet smell of pine, I say I'm so glad we got to wet us a line.

Backstory: One of my all time favorite memories with my dad, Doug Ott, is fishing in Mexico on a family vacation when I was young. We were fishing in a boat on the Sea of Cortes. I absolutely loved fishing with him. I caught a bunch that day! I thought about it a few years ago and wrote this poem from the perspective of me fishing with my son, in a wooded paradise, just me and my boy. It was really awesome going back to that memory I had with my dad and kind of paralleling it with the vision that I have one day with my son.

40: Papu

I love you Papu to the moon and back. You loved me too with love that didn’t lack. You’d always give me bear hugs and make me feel so strong. Your kind words of affection were sweeter then song. For 28 years you helped raise me from birth. You influenced my life and who I’d be on Earth. Memories with you I will always treasure, they’ll remind me who I am in times of pressure. Your memories and stories always brought me a smile. They’re stored safe in my mind just like a file. You always called me RJ and that always made me laugh. Year by year you helped direct my feet on a path. I wanted to make you so proud Papu. I swear I tried I swear it’s true! I know you’re looking down from above and your heart is overflowing with joy and with love. I know you’re happy and are no longer in pain. Though we are all sad we know we’ll see you again, I can’t wait for that day I get to wrap my soul into yours. I will feel your joy throughout my soul as your love over pours. We love and we miss you and that is true. Until we meet again, we hold our memories of you. Rest In Peace Papu.

Backstory: As already mentioned in this book, my Papu was a huge leader in my life. When He passed away it was awful for me. I broke down. I was remined in a dream though of how much He loved me. It was a truly beautiful dream. I wanted to include this poem to bring the reader a bit more knowledge of who He was and how much He loved me and his other family. R.I.P. Papu. I love you so much.

15: Long Dirt Road

  Where do you go when you just need to breathe? When you need a long break and you can’t wait to leave? I know where I go and that’s a simple dirt road. Three foot weeds on each side which have never been mowed. Mixed in with the weeds I see some beautiful flowers. Out on this dirt road I spend so many hours. I reminisce to my childhood a long time ago. My hand out the window feeling the breeze flow. Grandpa was driving and singing a song. Man, that was the day when nothing was wrong! I feel such peace when I go down this road, it eases my spirit and lightens my load. This dirt road here leads to an old fruit stand. Me and my daddy peeled peaches for hours by hand. We would sell them to customers who would take that drive. On this dirt road is where I felt most alive. Daddy went home to be with our Lord, but I still feel his presence when I fire up this Ford. I go back in time when I’m on this dirt road. I sure reaped the blessings from what I had sowed. Now I come back and sit under the big Oak tree. It’s limbs provide shade and a place to feel free. On this old dirt road I throw out all my troubles. I picture myself as a kid again, running and blowing some bubbles. Big trees and rolling hills in the background set the scene, every night I see a sunset that is beyond serene. Mom and dad are buried on a plot of this land, I’m excited for the day they both take my hand. This old dirt road will one day lead me home to Glory. At the end of the road lies the end of my story. 

Backstory: I was 29 when I wrote this poem. I was thinking heavily at the time of my grandpa and how I missed him so much. I thought about the term memory lane and that made me think of a dirt road which in turn led me to write this poem about a dirt road where I relived my memories every time I drove down it. I hope you enjoyed it.

41: Yosemite Hills

Speckled geese honk over the Yosemite hills. On a starlit night my heartbeat stills. Looking at the land makes me feel so small. In that moment I feel my all my burdens stall. The sights and sounds give me peace. My weary soul is finally at ease. Things are so much simpler and slow, it settles down my desire to go, go, go. It is so beautiful and serine it just melts my heart. Every time I am here it is a fresh clean start. I breathe in the smell of the wintergreen pines it brings me back to much simpler times. Camping in the woods with mom and dad, I now recall the best memories this man has had. Sitting near the campfire singing a song, it makes me feel nothing in the world is wrong. Crickets sing along in the pale moonlight; I tell you right now all is all right. The feeling of tranquility floods my weary and broken soul, it helps fill in the depths of a deep, almost bottomless hole. A hole caused my depression way deep in my heart, but it gets filled in with every glance of God's art. How I love the view from the old cabin’s stairs., one can see for miles the beauty this world bares. I challenge you to take time and hike, you may just discover something you may truly like.   

Backstory: A few years ago, I went on a retreat with my church to a cabin up by Yosemite, CA. It was beautiful, I loved seeing the clouds roll through and the fresh, clean, blue, crisp sky. It gave me a sense of peace I did not know I needed. I was battling depression severely at the time. It helped tremendously change my depression, seeing so much beauty. If you haven’t visited Yosemite, do yourself a favor and go! You will love it, anywhere you choose to go visit in Yosemite is beautiful!

8: Music

Ain’t it crazy how a song, can take you back in time? Takes me back where things were simple and there wasn’t so much crime. A song has healing, it can heal your soul. When your heart is broken it patches up the hole. Music is an emotion that is meant to be felt. Some songs are about love that just make you melt. The words in a song are stimulating to the brain, they are special and sweet yet can relate to pain. The lyrics hit home so often to me, something about them just makes me feel free. I picture the notes just floating on a breeze, I hear the cry of a guitar which brings me to my knees. The twang of a banjo throughout bluegrass hills, something about it just gives me the chills! The beating of a drum is felt deep in my chest, reminding me I have purpose and how I’m richly blessed. The soothing tune of a violin hits me to my core. I appreciate it now more then ever before! The power of a piano can drown out my blues, especially when it plays a song of good news. Music is just incredible no matter where you’re at! I just had to write a poem that might reflect that! Next time you hear a pretty song I pray you might not just sing along. Reflect on its meaning and what it is saying. May it touch your heart while it is sweetly playing.

Backstory: This poem was inspired by my love of music! It makes me so happy to listen to music. It calms me down when my heart and mind are swirling with emotions. Speaking of the heart, this poem was made from the heart.

9: Today is the Day

 It’s Crazy to think that today I am a married man. All of this started when you took my hand. We met at a cafe with your mom and dad. I didn’t know then, you’d make me this glad. Your hand fits into mine just like a glove. I’ve never loved anyone like I’ve loved you love. Your eyes shine bright in the morning sun. Ain’t nobody out there quite like you hun. Your laughter is contagious it fills the room. Today is the day I become your groom. I’m so excited to start this adventure. All I had to do was sign the indenture. I was overcome with joy when you walked down the isle. For you my love I’ll always go, the extra mile. You give me happiness when mine is depleted. When I met you babe my life was completed. It thrills me to know that you are my wife. I’m beyond excited to start this new life. I’m so happy I’m your husband and you are my wife. With love forever. Your husband. Andrew James Ott

Backstory: I wrote this on the day of my wedding for my wife!  September 4th 2021 was the day I got married and I wrote this poem for her a couple hours before we said “I do”. Love you babe!