Some people discover their voice through noise—through loud stages, bright lights, and bold declarations. Carolyn Staffieri discovered hers in the quiet. It came in the hushed corridors of hospitals, in the sleepless nights of caregiving, in the quiet agony of illness, and ultimately, in the steady rhythm of verse. Her story is not just one of poetry—it’s one of transformation, faith, endurance, and the potential of words to help make sense of suffering.

Carolyn Staffieri is an American poet, author, speaker, and former registered nurse. At first glance, her journey may seem divided—medicine on one hand, literature on the other—but her life’s work has always been centered around healing. Whether with her hands in the neonatal intensive care unit or through the cadence of her poetry, Carolyn has devoted her life to addressing brokenness.

Before illness changed the trajectory of her life, Carolyn worked in pediatric intensive care and NICUs, specializing in caring for the tiniest and most vulnerable patients. She was not just a nurse; she was a presence of calm in the storm, a steady heartbeat in chaos. But then came her own diagnosis—epilepsy. A condition that crept into her life and never fully left. Over the course of more than three decades, seizures, medications, and the uncertain terrain of neurological illness would gradually alter her day-to-day existence.

Where many might see only the loss of career, predictability, autonomy—Carolyn found something else. She found poetry.

“Epilepsy brought me to a quiet place where I had no choice but to listen,” Carolyn reflects. “And in that stillness, I began to write.”

Her poetry is not loud, not complex for the sake of complexity, nor academic in its tone. Instead, it is accessible and deeply human. It draws from scripture and song, from the anguish of illness and the comfort of faith. It speaks directly to the heart, to the soul that has whispered “why me?” in the dark and waited in silence for an answer.

In 2023, Carolyn released her first poetry collection, With Me: A Poetic Expression of God’s Faithfulness. The book weaves together themes of faith, grief, family, and the quiet miracle of endurance. It does not only speak to those with epilepsy—it speaks to anyone who has found themselves in the midst of an unexpected storm.

The success of the book was more than she anticipated. It climbed to become an Amazon #1 bestseller and received heartfelt messages from readers who felt seen and uplifted by her words. A second edition followed in 2025, expanding her reach and impact.

Carolyn’s writing draws inspiration from timeless voices like C.S. Lewis and Ruth Bell Graham. She finds lyrical beauty in the Psalms, and her poetry reflects that same spiritual texture—emotive, raw, and reverent. There’s also a simplicity to her language, a gentle clarity that invites the reader not to analyze, but to reflect. Her verses are often short but resonant, like whispered prayers.

But Carolyn is not just a poet of suffering—she is a poet of celebration. Many of her selections are filled with the joy of living, the everyday grace of family life, the sweetness of being a wife, mother of two, and grandmother. Her poems reflect what it means to live fully, even with pain. They are reminders that life is not only measured in milestones, but in moments—in a child’s laughter, a quiet sunrise, or the unspoken connection between two people who’ve both seen sorrow and still believe in beauty.

Her book is not a memoir. It’s not a manual on illness. It’s a gift—something that readers can return to in different seasons. “It’s the kind of book you give to someone going through grief or facing a diagnosis,” one reader shared. “But you might also read it just to feel hope again.”

The anchor of Carolyn’s work is always faith. Not a performative, polished faith, but one born out of trial. “I don’t have all the answers,” she often says, “but I know the One who does.” In With Me, she invites readers to place their own “why me?” into the margins. The poems do not demand understanding—they offer peace amid the mystery.

Though poetry is at the center of her creative output, Carolyn has also stepped into advocacy. Living with epilepsy has made her a passionate supporter of awareness and understanding around the condition. While she rarely writes about it explicitly, her life and public presence shine a gentle light on a disease that is often misunderstood and stigmatized. She speaks with compassion, not as a spokesperson, but as someone who has lived in the tension between visibility and invisibility that many chronic illness patients understand.

“I never wanted epilepsy to define me,” she explains. “But I also know it shaped me in ways that led me to write.”

Her upcoming speaking and reading engagements reflect a growing audience for her work. She is scheduled to read at Pebbles and Lace Boutique on October 2, 2025, with additional events slated for later that fall. Her poetry readings are not theatrical affairs—they are tender, deeply human gatherings that feel more like conversations than performances.

Her poetry can be found in several venues: on Amazon, through her website carolynspoetry.com, and in local shops like Pebbles and Lace Boutique and Welcome Home Thrift and More. Her social media platforms (@carolynspoetry on Instagram and Facebook) offer readers a window into her process, her upcoming appearances, and new reflections on life, faith, and resilience.

Carolyn’s target audience is broad yet specific—anyone aged 14 and up who has known hardship or who simply loves the quiet beauty of well-chosen words. Her book is as relevant for a teenager grappling with anxiety as it is for an elderly widow navigating grief. In a world often overwhelmed by noise, her writing offers silence, not empty silence, but a meaningful pause.

The future looks hopeful for Carolyn. More poetry is on the horizon, along with additional speaking engagements and readings in community spaces. But for her, the real measure of success is not in sales or stages—it’s in connection. If one person finds comfort in a poem, she feels the work has been worthwhile.

Carolyn Staffieri is not just a poet who writes about hope—she is living proof of it. Her journey reminds us that even when life breaks open in unexpected ways, something beautiful can grow in the cracks. That healing comes not just from medicine or time, but from meaning. And that sometimes, the most powerful words are not the ones shouted in defiance, but the ones whispered in faith.