INTRODUCTION

The Forest Green is a composition of prose, prayers, poems, and toasts. Presenting the variety of writings in one book and in two languages offers a forest, if you will, open for exploration. The Forest Green is an expression of life in various colors, from different angles and at fluctuating speeds. It is my heartfelt prayer that the reader walks away with either an entire page or a simple line that will help strengthen their walk.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The word inspire means: the inhaling of the spirit. It would be impossible to name all of the people in my life who have inspired the writing of The Forest Green. Without the love and encouragement from my family and friends The Forest Green would not have made it to print. Publicly and privately you all know who you are and I thank you sincerely from my heart for your support and faith in me.

The presentation of The Forest Green as a bilingual book in Spanish and English has been accomplished only because of the direct efforts of my dear friends and translators, Greg Tomaszewski and Mili Gutiérrez. Being able to share The Forest Green with the Hispanic community brings such joy;

I thank you for your generosity of time and thought.

DEDICATION

To my dear friend, Madeline Boyer, all of the hot summer nights sitting on your porch in Mississippi rolling in laughter and drowning in tears are precious memories I hope never to forget. You blessed me while walking the earth, now in spirit you continue to make me smile. With all my love, to my nephew and niece, Matthew and Rachel. A percentage of the sales of The Forest Green will go to the research, development and quality of life for those affected by Retinitis Pigmentosa.

About The Author

Patricia Marie was born in l962, in a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts. She was raised in the town of Bedford where she met her husband to be, James Hatch. Patricia Marie has read her poetry across the United States and internationally. She and her husband now reside in Virginia and southern Spain with their three children, James, Nicole and Tatum, all of whom have been recognized as gifts from God.