By Angel Townsend Burt | Arkansas Black Vitality

When poet Erica James speaks, her words carry the quiet strength of a woman who has learned to make peace with pain. Her debut book, Hearts of Poetry, is more than a collection of verses — it’s a sacred testimony of grief, faith, and transformation.

The book was born in the stillness that followed her brother’s passing nearly three decades ago. In that silence, James found her pen again — not as a writer chasing publication, but as a sister searching for air. “When he passed, I took out my paper and pen, thinking I was just going to journal,” she said. “And it started to flow. That’s when I realized this was how I would talk to him.”

From those pages emerged poems that walk readers through sorrow into spiritual revelation. In one of her most moving works, “I Walked,” she writes:

“I walked through sorrow and grief.
I thought there was no hope for tomorrow.
… It was God who walked in front of me.”

The refrain of walking becomes an act of courage — a step forward when standing still would mean being consumed by loss. It’s this determination to keep moving, even when tears blur the path, that gives Hearts of Poetry its universal resonance. “When I read that line, I could feel God in her steps,” I told her. “That moment when pain gives way to presence.”

James smiled gently. “When I find that peace within myself, that’s God,” she said. “And when I find God, I find my brother, too. It’s all connected.”

A Life of Service and Spirit

Long before she became an author, Erica James led a life dedicated to service — as a U.S. Navy veteran, an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer, and a devoted mother of twin girls and two older children. “My mother taught me early on to have a servant’s heart,” she said. “That shapes everything — my writing, my parenting, my purpose.”

Her poems reflect that same discipline and devotion. Each piece, she says, is intentionally heartfelt. “Whether it’s about my parents’ loss, my children’s laughter, or my own pain, it’s all written with the goal of healing — for myself and for others.”

In “Love in the Mirror,” one of her favorite poems, James explores the raw honesty of love itself:

“The mirror tells the truth.
The mirror shows all flaws.
True love loves in spite of, because of, nothing at all.”

Reading those lines aloud, her voice softened — not in sadness, but in gratitude. “Love knows when to stop,” she said. “Love suffers long. That poem reminds me that love, even when it hurts, is still worth reflecting on.”

Turning Grief Into Grace

Hearts of Poetry spans twenty-eight years of writing — from pages marked with tears to moments of quiet triumph. Through it all, James has discovered that her faith and her art are inseparable. “A life of service isn’t only about the military or volunteering,” she said. “It’s also about giving of yourself through your words, through your story.”

That perspective deepened as she prepares to be featured in the The Author’s Lounge on Dec. 11 at the Little Rock Technology Park. The event, hosted by Arkansas Black Vitality, celebrates local authors whose stories inspire community connection.

“I see this as the first of many collaborations,” James said. “I want to keep sharing, keep reaching people — especially those who might need healing or hope.” She even dreams of partnering with funeral homes to gift her book to families experiencing loss. “That’s how the cycle continues,” she said. “Turning pain into purpose.”

A Universal Message

There’s something timeless in the way Hearts of Poetry weaves spirituality and everyday life. Each verse reminds readers that the human heart — fragile yet resilient — can hold both tears and joy at once.

Her story, like her poetry, is not only about loss, but about love that refuses to die. It’s about walking forward through the storm until you realize you were never walking alone.

“I walked only to stop and see — it was God who walked in front of me.”

For Erica James, those words are more than a closing line. They are a promise — one step, one poem, one heartbeat at a time.