Infinite Sea of Stars by Shannon Crossman

Guiding readers through negative emotions towards a higher resonance with the universe, Infinite Sea of Stars by Shannon Crossman is an inspiring, spiritually charged collection of poetry.

Divided into three thematic sections – “You,” “Me,” and “Us” – these lyrical verses are journeys into the arms of the divine, along with all the comfort and deliverance one might find along the way. The language is carefully chosen and laden with wisdom, asking readers to challenge themselves and their own ideas of satisfaction, becoming something of a work of self-help. Exploring the relationships we have with ourselves, our loved ones, and the abstract forces that guide our lives, these optimistic and reflective poems have the sacred mood of koans or personal mantras. Relying heavily on metaphor and allegory, but rarely using complex imagery, the poet clearly wants her message to land, rather than be sought out.

Crossman’s tone varies from that of a whimsical dreamer and stubborn sage to wise prophet and spiritual healer, “like a beautiful singing bowl” that requires little provocation to play. Confident and curious, while never proselytizing, the collection probes into the powers of praise and the infinite beauties that surround us every moment we’re alive. The dual acts of writing and consuming this poetry are deeply tangled with prayer, intention, self-improvement, and communication with the divine, whatever that might be for the reader.

Though some of the poems feel vaguely redundant in theme, message, and delivery, the sense of peaceful calm emanating from these pages is undeniable.