My Broken Heart Sings

Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard wrote, “A poet is an unhappy being whose heart is torn by secret sufferings, but whose lips are so strangely formed that when the sighs and the cries escape them, they sound like beautiful music....” Gary A. Burlingame is one such being, with this difference – once unhappy, due to the loss of a son, his broken heart now sings, because he kept walking by faith. His readers are the beneficiaries of the work of the One who binds up the brokenhearted, “…bestowing on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor” (Isaiah 61:1-3). Gary describes this metamorphosis, “In the days of my youth the songs of my heart were self-focused. My poetry had no clear voice or purpose (outside of wooing my wife). Over time the Lord brought me through some heart-changing experiences. He allowed my heart to break so that He could mold my heart into something new. Out of this regenerated state my poetry grew - expressing what other people could not express - crying out for them. My prayer is that my poetry would give broken hearts an outlet of release. My Broken Heart Sings is a compilation of poems that speak of pain and joy, love and loss, suffering and new birth.” - Dr. David B. Biebel Endorsement: “Gary Burlingame’s poetry has been on display in my waiting room for many years. His poems have touched the lives of many patients and their families. His poems stir the emotions while being practical, insightful, spiritual, and deeply truthful. I am glad to have his poetry in book form to refer to my patients and friends for support when they find themselves in pain and fall into deep struggles in their own lives.” – Dr. David Trumbore - Director of physical therapy at Delaware Valley Orthopedic Associates, Philadelphia and president of Effective Fitness Solutions, LLC Bensalem, PA