A sunset peeking out from behind thorned holly teases me

As I emerge from the darkening woods.

A pastel pink and blue evening sky, adorned by long marbled clouds,

Settles over the Pacific Sound ...

--Gregory Cenac

In a poignant and sometimes amusing collection of poetry, Gregory Cenac lyrically captures the vivid moments of his life with the hope of encouraging others to reflect on their own.

Within verse penned during a four-year period and from settings ranging from the Gulf of Mexico to Portsmouth, Maine, and to the mountain ranges of Alaska, Cenac provides a glimpse into his thoughts and emotions as he explores a variety of themes that include the placement of his Uncle Johnny's freckles, a street man's benediction, the long leafless shadows of a barren Midwestern winter, his brother's true lovers, and the reflections of an old executioner as he taps a small matchbox on a table.

Beyond the Thorned Holly shares a compilation of poems that reflect on one man's walk through life as he loves, learns, and finds inspiration in nature.