Writing Beyond the Sky and Sea has been an incredible journey... painting pictures of life and the world around us through the art form of poetry. During the writing of this collection of poetry, there was, as T.S. Eliot once wrote, "time... for a hundred visions and revisions...", until, eventually, I simply had to let what will be... be. I hope that this book will not only be captivating and inspirational, but that it will further my vision of making poetry more enjoyable and fascinating for people today. In this compelling collection of new poetry, I've drawn from the inspiration of the natural world, scenes by the ocean, Biblical narratives, love, and the moments and memories of life to write a book that I believe will resonate with all types of readers. Beyond the Sky and Sea features many memorable poems, such as "Beyond the Sands of Time", "Cancun", "Flights of Seagulls", "Now, Somehow", and "Visions", as well as a variety of poetic forms (like narratives, sonnets, dizain poems, and Eastern poetry). I have also included "Obscured View, Pt. 2" and "pool, pt. 2", which are sequels to poems from my last book, Reflections on the Water. I'd like to express immense gratitude to all of my family, friends, my kids, and my wife, Stephanie, for all of your love and support. I'd also like to send special thanks to Ruth O'Neil. Thanks to everyone who has picked up a copy of any of my books. Most of all, thanks to God for His grace and continued inspiration to write and publish books. -Ray Martin