I am that which measures wisdom and compassion,
And to whom all great religions call,
Though they’ve yet to speak My language well.
“My Paper Children” by Michele Heeney is a creative anthology of photographs and poems spanning more than four decades of the author’s life experiences — from the mountains of Western Pennsylvania to the vibrant cultural scenes of 1960s San Francisco, and on to landscapes in West Africa, Mexico, Hawaii, California, and New Mexico. Proudly published by Citi of Books, this is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other major retail platforms.
Michele Heeney was born and raised in western Pennsylvania. She found her outlook changed when the ’60’s lured her to San Francisco. Californian for many years after that, she also lived in Marin and Monterey countries as well as on Maui before moving to New Mexico. She now makes her home in the town of Cochiti Lake on the Cochiti Pueblo reservation south of Sante Fe. Besides writing poetry, her love includes bicycling, shopping at thrift stores, and photography, which she began underwater in her years as a scuba diver.
This expressive work blends imagery and verse into a reflective artistic narrative about memory, place, identity, and the people who shape us. More than just a typical poetry collection, it serves as a visual memoir — inviting readers to explore memories and emotions through both sight and language. The “paper children” of the title could be seen as metaphors for the author’s creations: poems and photographs that represent the fragments of life she has witnessed, documented, and made tangible over years of travel, reflection, and transformation.
Through images and verse, the collection maps the author’s artistic journey — from her early years in Western Pennsylvania to the cultural shifts of San Francisco in the 1960s and her later life in the American Southwest. The combination of poetry with photography creates a layered, multi-sensory experience that invites readers to see with both the eye and the mind’s imagination.
Rather than presenting a single story, the book celebrates the idea of creative memory — the places, people, and feelings that become part of one’s inner world. From landscapes in Mexico and Hawaii to the rugged beauty of New Mexico, each photo complements a poem that reflects on life’s passage, connection, beauty, and loss. This makes this book a contemplative work — part art book, part personal meditation — where visual and verbal elements resonate together.
“My Paper Children” stands out because it defies categorization: it is part photography book, part poetry collection, and part memoir. This makes it compelling not only to poetry lovers but also to visual art enthusiasts and readers who connect with creative, reflective storytelling.
Its richly illustrated pages invite slow reading, where readers can linger over photos and let accompanying poems deepen their perception of what they see. It’s the kind of book that rewards re-reading and contemplation — a unique artistic conversation between image and word that resonates long after the last page is turned.
Whether you’re drawn to poetry, photography, or artful personal reflection, this collection offers a rich, sensory journey through decades of life seen and felt — a book to savor slowly and return to often.
Grab your copy of “My Paper Children” by Michele Heeney through the buttons below: