In the writing process that resulted in her book Overgrown, Carolyn Maynard asked herself the two questions many other poets have puzzled over: What purpose does poetry serve? In a world saturated with wildly diverse content, how does a poet find her place? Maynard didn't know the exact answers to those questions when she began writing poetry. She only knew that she had to write in order to experience the satisfaction of self-expression. So Maynard put pen to paper and turned her past experiences into an appreciation for all of life's facets. The surrounding beauty, the surprising pain, the discomfort of growth, the returning of joy - all of these have a place in poetry, and Maynard turns them into timeless masterpieces.Read as she explores the intersection of life, death, and rebirth and disguises them in poetry about nature, seasons, and wildlife - oftentimes stopping you in your tracks to ponder what you just read. At other times, it's like a slap to the face with flowery gloves. The poems within this collection are accessible and enjoyable. If you appreciate classic poetry and prose and are looking for a modern addition to your poetry collection, Overgrown is it. If you are looking for a new poet who doesn't yet realize she's already found her place amidst the wildly diverse content that initially intimidated her, Carolyn Maynard is it.All royalties from this book will go to the Enchanted Makeovers nonprofit organization.Thirteen years ago, when Terry Grahl received a call from a shelter to paint a wall, Enchanted Makeovers' mission was born. Terry was an award-winning decorator with her own business just outside of Detroit. The event coordinator of the shelter asked that she please visit to paint even one wall to improve the deteriorated physical space. Terry made that visit and it ultimately changed her life and the lives of thousands of women and children. She immediately saw that the issues went well beyond paint and bedspreads. She saw what was really lacking was the message that everyone is worthy of hope, dignity and respect. She knew there was so much more that needed to be done in order to ensure better outcomes for the women and children re-building their lives in shelters. She knew there needed to be a major paradigm shift in the mindset of the community and how people see and serve one another. Terry was so moved that she ultimately changed course in her own life. She closed her business and founded "Enchanted Makeovers", a non-profit organization whose mission is to bring educational, inspiring and empowering programs to women and children living in shelters.www.enchantedmakeovers.org