One of our favorite poets is retired Lutheran pastor Gary Westgard. He and his wife, Vivian, now live in Watertown but they served congregations in Farmington, Minn.; Laurel, Neb.; and in Gayville, Vermillion and Watertown. He always was a wonderful, down to earth preacher and his poetry is the same: he conveys his thoughts and experiences in a way that you just say, "oh, yes ...."

Gary just published his first poetry book, titled The Journey and the Grace." Here's a poem titled A Year After The Death of a Child.

On the 365th day, I broke, she said.
I'm having a hard time of it, she said.,
My family tries to help, but I hurt them, she said.
I wish it could have been me, she said.