May all that I do
and all that I say
be a hymn
a hallelujah
a temple by the sea
a recitation
of all the names of God.

May every step I take
and every day I live
be proof of the miraculous:
the breaking of waves,
the beating of my heart,
the glory of this one breath.
 
This One Breath is the third poetry book from Matthew Foley, a poet, spiritual life coach, meditation teacher, and podcast host in Asheville, North Carolina. 
 
The poems in This One Breath represent a major stylistic shift for Foley. After years of honing his craft on stage as a spoken word poet, Matt wanted to experiment with shorter poems that explore more introspective themes such as spirituality, loss, love, forgiveness, and growth. 
 
The spiritual themes of Matt's poems will be represented visually in the book by the incredible mandala artwork of Charleston, South Carolina artist Nabil Aasiya-Bey. As the reader progress through the book, they will witness a mandala evolving right before their eyes, growing more complex in shape and color with each page. Matt & Nabil hope that this unique combination of poetry and artwork will create a truly unique experience for the reader.  
 
How should we poets
put this world into words
when the simplest things
defy description?

Even this seemingly
insignificant second -
this one breath,
this wind through the window,
this sunlight that traveled
to this room from a star –

is the kind of miracle
where the best thing to say
is nothing at all.