Book excerpt: "I Am Maria" by Maria Shriver

We may receive an affiliate commission from anything you buy from this article.In her new memoir, "I Am Maria: My Reflections and Poems on Heartbreak, Healing, and Finding Your Way Home" (to be published April 1 by The Open Field), Maria Shriver – the daughter of Kennedys, broadcast journalist, and former first lady of California – uses poetry to explore a woman in search of herself.Read some selected poems below, and don't miss Lee Cowan's interview with Maria Shriver on "CBS Sunday Morning" March 30!"I Am Maria" by Maria Shriver $19 at Amazon Prefer to listen? Audible has a 30-day free trial available right now.

Try Audible for free I Know You Loved MeBeyond a shadow Beyond the words Beyond the picture of what a loving nurturing mother Is supposed to look like Act like Talk like Touch like There is you I couldn't find anyone like you in my picture books No mothers looked like you Dressed in pants like you Had hair like you Played football like you Smoked cigars like you Yet I knew you loved me I knew you wanted more for me than you had been given I knew you wanted for me everything you had been denied Beyond a shadow I know you loved me The way you smiled at me and cheered for me The way you pushed me I know you loved me Do you know how much I loved you Beyond a shadow you were my everything I understand so much more about you today You too were scared You too longed to be seen You too longed to be held My heart breaks for you As I've come to learn we cannot give what wasn't given to us As you grew older you softened You allowed me in My heart breaks for my mother But no one let her in But no one held her No one comforted her No one told her she was enough Her journey was relentless Her energy unbridled I understand now and I'm so sorry Beyond a shadow I know you loved me Beyond a shadow I loved youDear LifeI've been wanting to talk to you lately to tell you You are not what I planned...