About the Contributors

Kristy Baldwin is entering her Junior year at Monmouth University (New Jersey). She is pursuing an English
Education major and writing minor. She is co-editor of the alternative newspaper, The Independent.

Bob Smith is an upstate NY writer and musician whose weekly opinion column appears in The Chronicle 
(Glens Falls, NY), and online at GlensFallsRock.com. He is also a frequent contributor to Billboard magazine. 
A closet poet, only now has he begun sending his poems to publishers. Regarding faith he says, "I am a Taoist 
Christian, if there is such a thing."

Azhar Muhammad Usman's poem was written in the company of Hadrat Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad 
Naqshbandi-Mujaddidi. "Every once in a while, I try to take a break from everything, and unplug from the world; 
it's the only way, I find, to keep my sanity. Usually, these breaks coincide with opportunities for spiritual 
development and progress."

Tony Bush, on his poem: "[My] poem, 'Fear Eats The Solar System,' is essentially about the way in which fear 
of the unknown, of getting hurt, or losing, appearing foolish, or taking chances, can cripple us emotionally and 
hold us back in relationships and in life." Tony works as a psychiatric nurse in South Wales. Married with two 
children, a cat, a dog and five chickens, he lives on the side of a mountain overlooking the village of Crickhowell 
in Powys. He has been a prolific writer of poetry for more years than he cares to remember, publishing pieces in 
diverse  journals and magazines. His books can be found at amazon.co.uk and PublishBritannica. He also runs  
Junkyard Blues, which provides poetry upon request for individuals supplying suitably inspiring material.

Frank Anthony, Ph.D., a WWII veteran, has poetry, prose and interviews in journals, magazines and on the
Internet. Dr. Anthony lives in Vermont and responds at newvtpoet@aol.com. 

Michael Robins, on his poem: "All things are made of energy, which can neither be created nor destroyed. 
We are beings of light and energy that, by virtue of our real, inner nature, are one with everyone and everything, 
and we are creators who have the power to create whatever we want with our thoughts, feelings, and actions. 
In this outlook everyone is great, valuable, and important. This understanding, which leads to wonderfully 
empowering experiences, can radically improve the quality of one’s life, change the perspective from which 
one views the world, and makes it easier for people to understand, appreciate, and co-operate with each other."
Learn more about Michael and his projects at www.urgreat.info