Raising Insight Sufficient to Empower: (r.I.S.E)

The poems came unbidden from deep within Bonita Fern, each demanding expression. Overwhelmed by their insistence, Fern, still reeling from the unsettling truth of her second divorce, began to write. Focusing on various forms of abuse: verbal, emotional, and physical, Fern's poems at first glance seem to travel into dark and depressing territory. This is far from the truth. Instead, they offer a path out of despair, shame, and heartache into self-reliance and empowerment. These are poems that look unflinchingly at domestic violence and betrayal, offer comfort, and remind readers that the fault lies with the abusers, not the abused. Fern incorporates clever acronyms and unexpected rhyme patterns to engage with and entertain you. Hard truths are softened by spiritual and inspirational messages, chief among them the theme that while you may have been betrayed in love, you never stop being love "able."Written to inspire healing in hurting women, Raising Insight Sufficient to Empower also offers men a chance to explore their roles and responsibilities in relationships. Fern's poems speak to the lonely, the wounded, and the heartbroken of both sexes. She offers you a chance to rise above your past and embrace the future with confidence and pride.