Tere Starr always has loved books and words. As a Miami-Dade County school teacher, her students were the beneficiaries of her favorite stories and books.

Tere Starr

Now Starr has begun fulfilling a lifelong dream of authoring her own ideas. At a recent reading of her poems, Starr charmed the full house.

Starr has her creative eye equally on the environment and nature, as well as human nature. She easily drifts from love themes to ones of preservation.

"Tere's poetry captures the magic of South Florida from the currents of Biscayne Bay to Alabama Jacks," said Duncan Haynes a renowned writer, after hearing Starr's poetry.

"I've always written poetry," Starr said. "I've always kept a journal. It's a natural release of pure emotion. A poem can't help happening. It starts with a thought. I am not just concerned with poetic form."
As a teacher, Starr decided to major in language arts to focus on what she loved.
"I've taught children to reach down

inside themselves," she said. "Each child has this capacity. I saw generations come and go. One thing that remained the same is the appreciation for nature and language."

Starr uses her knowledge of scientific facts in her writing.

"I am drawn to it," she said.

Starr recently was recognized for her universal poetry themes by Jonathan Rose, host of the Seethe Poetry Series. Rose presents readings for the Hannah Kahn Poetry Foundation. Kahn was a Miami Herald poetry editor for 16 years. Tere wrote the poem Do My Words Seethe? especially for the poetry series.

Starr currently is working on a poem about Miami and the dreams of people who have come here. She also is putting the finishing touches on a young adult novel, In Search of the Golden Toad. It is about opportunities and facing fears with courage.

Starr will be reading a variety of her poems on Dec. 9 at The Kendall Bookshelf Inc., 9601 S. Dixie Hwy. in Pinecrest.

Starr has advice for all future writers.

"Trust the voice that comes out in you. Have the courage to follow your dreams."

That's exactly what Starr did.