Greening is the work of a wise and beautiful soul that is still unfolding after his many seasons of life. Listening in faith to his heart and to Earth, Stephen Smith fashions words that will illuminate our own journeys of unfolding. His poetry is a benediction. 

John Philip Newell, Author of Sacred Earth Sacred Soul (Harper One)

In our fast-paced, busyness-addicted, achievement-oriented lives, it is all too easy to feel disconnected from the earth and ignore our kinship with creation, which leads to a tragic wilting of our souls. By contrast, the greening Stephen Smith models and commends through these poems embraces a delightfully entangled and resonant relationship with creation. Smith follows Mary Oliver’s instructions for living, which involves stopping, paying attention, and being astonished by the whole community of creation in which we are immersed. These poems remind us that there is no shortage of beauty to sustain our souls; we just need to show up and receive it.

-Wesley Vander Lugt, theologian and author of Beauty Is Oxygen: Finding a Faith that Breathes

Stephen W. Smith’s Greening is a book that invites us not simply to read, but to soften, to unclench, to participate in the long work of renewal. These poems are not ornamental—they are elemental, written out of deep seeing and deep surrender. They move like rivers, carving space for grief and wonder, pruning and blooming, undoing and rising again. Smith writes with the honesty of one who has carried heavy loads and the generosity of one who has set them down so that others might feel lighter, freer, more alive. In Greening, poetry becomes practice, a way of breathing differently in a faith landscape that sorely needs new air.

--David Gate, poet and author of A Rebellion of Care

Greening is not simply a book of poems - it is a companion for the soul’s journey. Stephen Smith writes out of seasons we all know too well: pruning, fallow ground, waiting, surprise, and flourishing. His words carry the honesty of one who has lived through loss and disorientation, and yet they rise with the quiet beauty of new life emerging.

What I love most is that these poems are not abstract; they are earthy, rooted, tender. You feel the cut of pruning, the ache of winter, and then, just when you need it, the fresh shoot of green pushing through the soil. Hildegard of Bingen once spoke of viriditas - the greening power of God in all creation. Stephen has given us a book that embodies that same vitality, reminding us that even after long winters, God’s renewing presence is at work in us.

This collection is an invitation: to slow down, to listen, to notice the seasons of your own life with greater tenderness. Anyone who has known loss or longed for renewal will find in these pages a companion, a prayer, and a promise.

--Chip Edens, Rector at Christ Episcopal Church, Charlotte, NC

With the transformative power of ink, Stephen W. Smith has forged a spiritual map for the soul's inevitable journey. This profound work offers the guidance of a mentor, uncovering timeless wisdom from the natural world and exploring the eternal mystery of human and divine connection. I can see this book earning a place of honor on my regular reading stack, thanks to its accessible language and well-worn thoughts. 

-Kayleen Derksen, President, Soul Care Institute