POETRY CELEBRATING CHILDREN SEPARATED FROM ORIGINAL FAMILY. A valedictorian honoring her long lost biological family. A child reminiscing of life before the flood. A former child soldier chasing peace, chased by the ghosts of war. An adoptive youth’s loving plea to adoptive parents. A little girl’s tea party conversation with her favorite doll. These are among the many fictional voices of displaced children in Beautiful. . . . This poetry, written in the adult voice yet conveying child spirit, is inspired by displaced youth Jaiya John has worked with over a lifetime. The poetic scenarios inhabiting Beautiful are entry points for our union with the true heart of child separation from original family. . . . Beautiful is much more than a source of inspiration. Its words reveal the majesty and vulnerability of all children, especially those uprooted. Beautiful is an empowerment anthem for youth, a resource for those who love, care for, and work with these purposeful souls. Child light shines through these pages, asserting the demand of our young for their dignity, while portraying their limitless power to heal, grow, and flourish. . . . A poetic companion to Jaiya John’s Reflection Pond, Beautiful is the kind of treasure we polish repeatedly, its truth seeping into our compassion. Struggle and triumph. Solitude and belonging. A journey of sunflowers toward the sun of selfhood. In these pages we find Beauty born.
