I am pleased and deeply honored to announce that two of my poems, “The Pain I Feel Within My Heart” and “My Father,” have been selected for inclusion in Tales from the Bedside, an upcoming anthology by Code Blue Publishing Company. The anthology is tentatively scheduled for release on April 25, 2026, with a book launch event in Miami, Florida.
“My Father” was first read at a Vallejo open mic in 2025 and later at WinterFest 5. The poem reflects on Alzheimer’s disease and its profound impact on both the patient and the family who walk that difficult journey alongside them.
“The Pain I Feel Within My Heart” was especially difficult to write. It emerged from the deep parallels between my mother’s passing and my own three-week hospitalization, when I was told I might not leave. I was suffering from a serious viral heart condition, and doctors were shocked that I was still alive and walking. Writing the poem required revisiting memories that were both fragile and raw.
Sadly, I will not be able to attend the launch event due to a piano recital being held in my home, along with two guest poets for Voices at the Table — Open Mic. I am hopeful that someone will be available to read both poems at the event.
Both pieces will also be included in my forthcoming book, Black Voices Inspired by Black Voices (release date forthcoming).
My sincere gratitude to my editor, Chris Erwin, for his thoughtful insight and guidance on both poems, and to my sisters, Valerie and Vernessa, who encouraged me to continue writing through painful memories.
Code Blue Publishing Company is a premier publisher of medical and patient narratives. Founded to give voice to the human experiences behind healthcare, the press highlights the perspectives of nurses, physicians, first responders, patients, and caregivers. Its mission is to bridge medicine and storytelling, publishing works that reflect courage, compassion, loss, and healing. Through these voices, Code Blue preserves the emotional truth of care and reminds readers that medicine is not only clinical but profoundly human.
