I came to be free
Poems on grief, love, and renewal · PJ Starling
Finding a passage…
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The poems
All nine, in full. Tap any stanza to make a card of it.
Read the poem
The nutshell
You sealed off your feelings
And with them your heart
So when your heart swells
It blows you apart
But you have forgotten
That you are the child
Who wants to be special
And aches to run wild
This world is a prison
For those who accept it
Like a room full of doors
With no clearly marked exit
And you became trapped
In your room full of doors
For you simply did what
Had been done there before
You learned that the room
Was where you were held
To the whim of the makers
Like a nut in a shell
But the pressure was building
Inside your cocoon
As the heat of frustration
Came hard and too soon
You bounced off the walls
In your room full of doors
You bounced off the ceiling
And you bounced off the floor
In your room full of doors
Where your choices abound
They had you convinced
That your nutshell was sound
But you’re not a walnut
All content in your shell
You’re a kernel of popcorn
You explode like all hell
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The book
Using original metaphor and lyrical language, PJ Starling examines the deepest sorrows and the greatest triumphs of the human experience — the struggle to forgive oneself for past wrongs, the search for hope amidst the chaos of the modern world, and the desire for true intimacy.
Nine poems. 42 pages. These heartfelt verses invite readers into a space where they are seen and free to feel without judgment.
Buying direct from FriesenPress supports a Canadian author most. ISBN 978-1-03-837224-6 (paperback) · 978-1-03-837225-3 (hardcover) · 978-1-03-837226-0 (eBook)
About PJ Starling
PJ Starling lives in Vancouver, BC, with his nine-year-old son. I came to be free is his second book of poetry. His poem “Where light never goes” was featured by The Art of Autism, an organization that showcases the creative abilities of neurodivergent individuals.
For him, writing poetry is a form of therapy that has helped him through periods of change in his life. He hopes his poems will do the same for his readers.
Contact PJ Starling: readings@starlingpoetry.xyz
Author photograph by Marshal Chupa
Invite me to read
Libraries, bookstores, reading series, classes, book clubs. I'd like to come.
- Vancouver and the Lower Mainland — in person, gladly.
- Anywhere at all — online, by video. Book clubs and classes welcome.
- Elsewhere in BC or Canada — if travel is covered.
There's no fee to have me. An honorarium is welcome if you have one, and entirely optional if you don't.
I don't pay to appear. Any “invitation” that asks me for a placement, promotion, or booking fee is a scam — there's a lot of it about, impersonating real festivals. Genuine hosts never charge the poet.
This form is handled by Web3Forms and emailed to me. I don't use your details for anything else. If the form won't play, write to readings@starlingpoetry.xyz.