Somewhere along the path to adulthood, many of us forget how to see the world with awe. Deadlines replace daydreams, and screens steal the magic from sunsets. But in One Poet’s Journey: A Picture Book of Poems by James Glassford, we’re gently reminded of the wonder that still exists—if only we can look through a child’s eyes again.
In his poem Nature and a Child’s Mind, Glassford beautifully captures the imagination of a curious youngster wandering through the forest. A towering tree becomes Jack’s beanstalk, rumbling thunder turns into an ogre’s stomping feet, and a shadow in the woods might just be Winnie the Pooh. The ordinary becomes extraordinary, not through fantasy, but through the vivid power of a child’s untamed mind.
There’s something deeply healing about that perspective. When a child walks in the wild, they don’t seek productivity—they seek adventure. Every footprint in the snow, every rustling leaf, every whispering wind is part of a bigger story. And in sharing these stories through verse, Glassford invites us all to reclaim a bit of that childlike curiosity.
In Walking in a Winter Wonderland, we join the poet and his son as they explore a snowy forest. There’s laughter, discovery, and a kind of joy that comes only when one is fully present. It’s not about hiking for exercise or taking the perfect photo—it’s about wonder. The kind that can’t be measured, only felt.
This return to wonder isn’t just poetic; it’s vital. In an era where anxiety and burnout are all too common, remembering how to marvel at the world can be an act of self-care. When we let ourselves be captivated by the flight of a bird, the shimmer of snowflakes, or the silent gaze of a deer, we’re not just observing nature—we’re reconnecting with something sacred within ourselves.
One Poet’s Journey doesn’t just highlight the natural world; it celebrates the lens through which we first fell in love with it—as children. Through his poems, Glassford reminds us that wonder is not lost, only waiting. Sometimes in the eyes of a child. Sometimes in a quiet walk. And often, in the lines of a poem.
The invitation is simple: step outside, slow down, and see again—not with tired eyes, but with the wide-eyed magic of youth. The world hasn’t changed. We have. But wonder still waits in every breeze, every bird song, and every page of this tender collection.
Volume 1 : https://www.amazon.com/dp/1916707483
Volume 2 : https://www.amazon.com/dp/1917306369
