Poetry through my ages is an account of my journey and development as a person and a writer, through the poems Ive written. This anthology records my poetry from the age of fifteen, being the age I first took an interest in writing poetry. The poems contained in this book feature in chronological order capturing in tone and subject matter my lifes progression. The progression of a poet is a never ending journey, a journey that I am still undertaking and is evident in my evolving style of poetry. To me the grammatical accuracy of my work is irrelevant. I wrote each of these poems because at the time something or someone triggered a thought strong enough that I needed to write it down. I hope my poems will have the same effect on the readers of this memoir.

Poetry Through My Ages, Still Writing is the second account of my journey and development as a person and a writer through the poems Ive written. This anthology records my poetry from the age of fifteen, being the age I first took an interest in writing poetry. The poems contained in this book are featured in chronological order, capturing in tone and subject matter my lifes progression. I have added seven of my favorite poems from my first book, Poetry Through My Ages, still added in chronological order. The progression of a poet is a never-ending journey, a journey that I am still undertaking and is evident in my evolving style of poetry. To me, the grammatical accuracy of my work is irrelevant. I wrote each of these poems because at that time, something or someone triggered a thought strong enough that I needed to write it down. I hope my poems will have the same effect on the readers of this memoir.

When you purchase this book of poetry, you trace the very being of a lonely writer, laboring some 40 years and throughout Gods time span. From 1963 to 2005 this slave of words has penned his heart and mind toward everyones love and understanding regardless of the reader or his/her status in life. Anyone who purchases this book has taken the first step toward understanding what can be accomplished in life. No matter who you are, lifes goals are attainable. God bless those of you who did purchase this book. May God look down from Heaven and say, Blessed be the pen slaves, for theirs is the kingdom of knowledge night after night and word after word . . . . Sincerely, William Furr

I would like to dedicate this to all my friends and family. Really everyone that has played any kind of role in my life. Youve all inspired me one way or another to write a piece in this book. I would like to thank you all for that.

One of the very first Persian poets was a woman (Rabe’eh, who lived over a thousand years ago) and there have been women poets writing in Persian in virtually every generation since that time until the present. Before the twentieth century they tended to come from society’s social extremes. Many were princesses, a good number were hired entertainers of one kind or another, and they were active in many different countries – Iran of course, but also India, Afghanistan, and areas of central Asia that are now Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan. Not surprisingly, a lot of their poetry sounds like that of their male counterparts, but a lot doesn’t; there are distinctively bawdy and flirtatious poems by medieval women poets, poems from virtually every era in which the poet complains about her husband (sometimes light-heartedly, sometimes with poignant seriousness), touching poems on the death of a child, and many epigrams centered on little details that bring a life from hundreds of years ago vividly before our eyes. This new bilingual edition of The Mirror of My Heart – the poems in Persian and English on facing pages – is a unique and captivating collection introduced and translated by Dick Davis, an acclaimed scholar and translator of Persian literature as well as a gifted poet in his own right. In his introduction he provides fascinating background detail on Persian poetry written by women through the ages, including common themes and motifs and a brief overview of Iranian history showing how women poets have been affected by the changing dynasties. From Rabe’eh in the tenth century to Fatemeh Ekhtesari in the twenty-first, each of the eighty-four poets in this volume is introduced in a short biographical note, while explanatory notes give further insight into the poems themselves.

Throughout my life, I have written about life's experiences -- some in the midst of great joy, and others during times of sadness. My inspiration comes, first of all, from God, because even as a very little girl I lived with the knowledge that God loves me and hears and answers prayer. The poems reflect love for my family, and the hope and faith I have in Christ. Family and friends and their milestone events - births, anniversaries, and even deaths - inspire me to pick up pen and paper, oft times in the dark hours of the night.

This book is my survival guide. I have written about abuse, my MS, family, other people and nature in the many ways they have and do effect me. I write as I feel and see. These writings have freed me and may they guide you too.

In the midst of the roller coaster of life, I was able to take moments to create a written journey. When life turns upside down, you are unsure where it will take you. For me, it was in a form of a poem. As the poems grew, it was overwhelming. I decided to put these poems in a book form and share them with you. What I found within my writing was a trigger to help with overcome stresses. As most would say "getting it off my chest". It was therapeutic.