Clouds of Mind: Life’s Natural Beauty

Ariana R. Cherry was born in Mattoon, Illinois in 1981. She grew up in Arcola and graduated high school in 1999. Ariana then attended Lake Land Community College in Mattoon, graduating in 2002. She earned a certificate as a Computer Applications Specialist and wrote for the college newspaper. Ariana has had a love of writing ever since she was a child. She spent time writing short stories and reading them to her classmates. Ariana took a love in poetry between the ages of 11 and 12, and it has carried on ever since. Some of her favorite poets and greatest inspirations are Robert Frost, Edgar Allen Poe, Shel Silverstein and Emily Dickinson. She has published four collections of poems: ＂The Real Me-Xtended,＂ ＂Through Her Eyes,＂ ＂Divine Poetry for a Spiritual Mind＂ and ＂Twisted Paths of Poetry.＂ Ariana also illustrated a children’s book titled, ＂Bullying Ben.＂ To spread the love of poetry in her community, she created a poetry club known as ＂The Hometown Poetry Club, ’ in central Illinois. It has local poets who come together to read and talk about poetry and other life events, and also read poems to area nursing homes, schools or even a local restaurant. Ariana also has a love for art, and creates her own abstract designs and handmade jewelry. Ariana continues to write today, and is currently working on more collections...She still has quite a few more inspirations to share with the world.