E. J. Stallings is either a poet/writer who’s second language is music, or he is a musician whose second language is poetry and the rhythm of the soul. In either case his creative output is infused with a musical sensibility that can only come through decades of weaving musical tales from rhythm and melody frequently devoid of words themselves. Often, his poems appear as literary photographs or renderings that combine the physical world around him with the spiritual world within. But, whether working with sounds, or syntax, or a combination of the two, he uses the subtleties of cadence and inflection to capture both the reality and the emotional essence of an idea.
In addition to writing poetry, inspirational prose, books and articles on music, he has written for a wide variety of musical settings from The Grammy award-winning Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, to intimate musical settings for weddings and contemplative chamber ensembles. Always eager to engage a different perspective, Jim has participated in writing workshops with noted authors and journalists such as, B.H. Fairchild, The Rev. Debbie Blue, and Alissa Wilkenson, and holds degrees from Catawba College, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Georgia State University. His collection of poems, The Unwanted Blessing, is sure to resonate with, engage, challenge, and befriend the reader.