Wings to Rise, Roots to Return is an intimate and soul-stirring collection of poetry and prose from M.L Shirley], a storyteller whose words honor both the ache and the awe of becoming. Written as a legacy for her three grandsons—Aden, Ryder, and Zander—this book is a lyrical embrace, celebrating the tension between soaring into one’s future and staying grounded in love that never lets go.
Through reflections that span generations, Michelle explores what it means to be chosen, cherished, and continually reborn through connection. Each piece is a tribute to the quiet power of compassion, the courage to grow, and the strength drawn from those who came before us.
At once deeply personal and universally resonant, this collection reminds us that while wings give us the courage to rise, it is our roots—our people, our stories, our truths—that call us home.
“Because love is what stays, even when we soar.”
 |
Michelle Shirley Joined: Jul-03-2025 |
Michelle is a poet and storyteller who writes from the heart’s deepest chambers, where resilience is born, redemption is kindled, and transformation unfolds. Her words are woven from threads of truth and tenderness, echoing the quiet strength of those who rise and rise again.
She was chosen—by the children and young adults- who call her Mom and by life itself—to be “Gammy” to Aden, Ryder, and Zander, three bright souls who light her path and inspire her voice. This collection is for them—a legacy of love written in stardust and story, meant to carry them through life’s valleys and mountaintops.
