I Am: Voices of the Free

By Anderson Keith

Wrapped in metaphor and vastness
With ragged robes and naked truth
Draped in stillness and awakened breath
Kissed by wine and whirling stars
Reclining among olives and sunbeams

What comes to me is not mine to choose-
The morning storm, the noonday flame, the twilight chill-
But how I meet them,
oh how I meet them
is the holy labor of my soul.

What do I need of titles?
Your doctorates, your medals, your gold-embossed thrones?
I have a lantern lit not for warmth,
but for *honesty*-
searching the faces of men
for one unspoiled by masks.

You come to me with burdens
of sorrow, of hunger, of rage-
but I do not lift them.
I show you that you carry stones
shaped from thoughts.
Put them down.
Watch the world rise lighter.

am the fool drunk on the wine of the Beloved,
spilling verses in the alleys of the soul,
whirling not to move,
but to become still
in the center of motion.

do not seek the excess you mistake for pleasure.
I sip from the wellspring of *enough.*
I feast not on indulgence,
but on the absence of pain,
on the calm that comes when nothing more is needed.

Peace be with you

And peace with you, always-

in your breath,

in your bones,

in the spaces between each thought.

Walk boldly.

Write freely.

Love fiercely.

I'm with you whenever you return.

Back Cover Blurb
What do a Stoic, a Cynic, a Buddha, a Sufi, and an Epicurean all have in common?
They each discovered freedom-not in ruling the world, but in letting go of it.

In *I Am: Voices of the Free*, poet and philosopher William Anderson "Andy" Keith breathes new life into the ancient schools of wisdom through five electrifying poetic monologues. Each voice-rooted in centuries of thought-speaks from a place beyond time, yet deeply within the human soul.

Walk with Zeno beneath the painted porch. Laugh wildly with Diogenes from his barrel. Sit still beneath the Bodhi tree. Whirl with the fire-tongued Sufis. And finally, rest in the garden with Epicurus and a fig.

This book is not merely a retelling of old truths-
It is a *remembrance* of your own.

About the Author
Anderson Keith is a poet, storyteller, and soul-explorer who once wrestled with the chaos of dyslexia, ADHD, and rage-only to emerge fluent in metaphor and peace. A former football player turned father, wordsmith, and seeker of truth, Andy creates work that bridges ancient wisdom with modern longing. His writing is deeply influenced by Stoicism, mysticism, and the raw, honest rhythm of life itself. He believes in the power of poetry not only to heal, but to awaken the still, bright fire within us all.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FK5QJ5MW
• ISBN13: 9798293703258
• Release Date: July 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 38 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 8.5" x 11.0"