Men and women yearn for fulfillment in many ways. Some crave adventure, some security, some creativity, some maturity. Perhaps their deepest yearning is to find and to embrace another who understands them, who shares their dreams and goals, who nurtures and empowers their souls. Beyond the short-lived sensations of physical intimacy lies that far deeper connection which we call romance. Romance is primarily spiritual in nature, and it can exist among friends as well as lovers.

Done well, art possesses a unique power - to present ideas and values and views of the world as real, concrete, percievable creations. Art can represent dreams, yearnings, ideals and actually energize and empower its audience.

A single canvas can enrapture or enrage its viewers. A story or play can elevate or devastate an audience. A poem can raise an army or praise a saint.

I'm sure you can think of at least one novel, play, poem, film, or piece of music which moved you, made you think, made you dream, and perhaps even changed your life forever.

Here you discover my purpose as a poet. To inspire, to uplift, to empower, to connect my readers with themselves, their own universes as well as with others whom they might not otherwise.

I write in a fairly traditional form, in that most of my poetry rhymes, has a recognizable rhythm, and so on. To me, poetry is spoken song. The songlike quality is part of the "carrier wave" upon which the meanings and feelings flow.

If I needed to be classified: "I am a Romantic who admires the Classics." I love to FEEL, of course, but I love to THINK as well. Philosophy and its principles weave themselves through nearly all of my work.

Above all, I worship VALUES and CHOICES. I believe that at heart, every being is a free-willed, moral agent, and his or her main drive is to survive and to do better tomorrow than today.

The modern world is full of stress and challenge, and many sources of put-downs and invalidations. Worry and doubt have largely replaced the adventurous optimism of our ancestors. I aim to help remedy this through my writing.

No matter what occasion or situation you are facing, I can assist you in making it better, whether more joyous or more genuinely solemn. And if you admire someone but are bit too shy to communicate comfortably, I can help! Who knows? A bit of aesthetics might just break the ice and lead to something glorious!

I look forward to sharing with you a unique work of art which serves any person, occasion or purpose you may choose,

Yours,

Ayden Drake