Local author publishes book of spiritual poems
Jim Morris, of South China, displaying his book, Inside Out.
by Roberta Barnes
Inspiring words that flow in a rhythm urge you to look deep within you.
Jim Morris, of South China, has lived in Maine since 1980. This year he was prompted to put his collection of poems into a book by his grandson saying he should write a book.
Inside Out, by Jim Morris, is a collection of his 158 spiritual poems that gently urge readers to look within themselves. Morris hopes his words will lift the reader’s spirits. One of Carl Jung’s quotes reflects looking within; “when you look outside you dream, when you look within you awaken”.
On the first few pages of Inside Out, Morris introduces the depth of what will follow. Morris wrote, “If by chance as you are reading this and you start to wonder, Wait a minute, is this . . . Did he? I can tell you now, It’s true. I wrote this. . . for you.”
While studying engineering in college Morris learned how mechanical parts fit together to make a machine work. When he left college, he began thinking about how people work together to make our world work. As I interviewed Morris outside, he talked about our world as a whole. Surrounded by plants, a chipmunk and birds that stopped by, and the original internet of the roots of plants under our feet, it represented the oneness reflected in Morris’ poems.
Our world as a whole, is reflected in many of the poems in Inside Out. In the poem Beauty, Morris wrote, “Its magic is when we can come together and see it as Whole”. © Jim Morris 2023.
Some of Morris’ poems were created by the energy of his own life’s journey and some were created by the life’s journey of others. As you read through the pages you can see how he looks at even simple things from all sides.
Morris sees his book Inside Out as being an advocate for hope by helping people to focus on the moment and appreciate what they see/hear/feel in that moment. When appreciating the moment, you can go within and appreciate what you find within. Morris wrote at the end of one poem, “you’re the reason the sun shined”, and at the end of another “Go ahead and have fun”. © Jim Morris 2023.
On the back cover of Inside Out you will see, “A journey deep inside the self to look for God and a truth discovered on the way out. Inspired by everyone and everything around me. I wrote a book. The universe is filled with love. May you find some comfort here”. © Jim Morris 2023.
The community is invited to Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District’s Conservation Awards Celebration on Wednesday, August 23, from 4:30 – 7:30 p.m. The banquet will be held at Beaver Lodge, in Hope.
American Legion Auxiliary Unit #39, Madison, is once again collecting school supplies for children in our local schools (Madison MSAD #59 and Carrabec RSU #74). Here is a list of the items needed: backpacks, rulers, erasers, pencils, colored pencils, ink pens (blue, black & red), crayons, markers, glue sticks, water bottles (no larger than 20 oz), pouches for binders, 1″ binders, 1 subject notebooks, college and standard ruled filler paper.
Help the students at Vassalboro Community School by donating to the 5th annual school supplies drive by drop off, on Saturday, August 19, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., at the North Vassalboro Fire Station, on Rte. 32. Supplies may be dropped off at the Maine Savings Federal Credit Union, on Main Street, in Vassalboro, or the Vassalboro Town Office, on Main Street, if people want to donate and drop off prior to the actual event on August 19. FMI, contact Don Breton at 313-3505, or 
The American Red Cross has seen a shortfall of about 25,000 blood donations in the first two months of the summer, which makes it hard to keep hospital shelves stocked with lifesaving blood products. By making an appointment to give blood or platelets in August, donors can keep the national blood supply from falling to shortage levels.
