"This collection is a meditation on the relationship between the life of faith and the affairs of the world--a world that appears more fragmented even with the promise of technology to bridge communities. The poems remind us of our role as agents of change and that, when we take responsibility for this role, we are practicing an effective form of spirituality. Infused with music and a deep sense of hope, I Am No Battlefield but a Forest of Trees Growing expresses longing for a better life and world. In each poem, author Elvis Alves calls attention to the black body--a site of resistance and celebration--using the language of survival" --