Ready to take the long way home?
She Took the Long Way Home cover
Comfort, Courage & Calm
for the Long Way Home

She Took TheLong Way Home

Poems from the detours and second chances — for anyone learning to trust their own timing and take life one step at a time.

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"I didn't set out to take the long way home — but it gave me these poems."

This collection grew out of ordinary life — love and loss, healing and starting again, and the small moments we tend to overlook but never quite forget.

Some of the poems may make you smile. Some may stir a memory. And a few might feel like they were written just for you.

An open page from She Took the Long Way Home

These aren't poems to rush through. They're the kind you keep nearby — to open on a heavy day, to read again on a quiet one, and to return to whenever you need something calm and honest.

Wherever you are on your own long way home, I hope these words keep you good company.

— Jennifer

A chapter page from She Took the Long Way Home: Life As I See It
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There’s no wrong pace for finding your way back to yourself.

Through the detours, the heartbreaks and the second chances, I’ve come to believe the long way round is rarely wasted. These poems are the small, honest notes I gathered along the way.

If you've ever read a line and thought “this feels like me,” this book is for you — the quiet thoughts and feelings that pass through your day, finally written down.

A few honest lines can name a feeling you’ve carried for years and never quite said out loud — recognition on the hard days, comfort on the quiet ones.

Author Jennifer Bates

Are you ready to take the long way home?

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A poem from the collection

Why These Words Matter

Poetry isn't only about beautiful language — it's about being understood. A few honest lines can name a feeling you've carried for years and never quite said out loud.

That's what these poems are for: recognition on the hard days, comfort in the quiet ones, and the reminder that you're not alone in any of it.

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Introducing the
D.E.T.O.U.R.S.
Collection

The D.E.T.O.U.R.S. collection follows seven threads through She Took the Long Way Home — the turns, detours and second chances that quietly shape a life.

Inside these pages, you'll wander through:

D

Detours

Poems about life's unexpected turns and the lessons they leave behind.

E

Everyday

Finding beauty in the ordinary moments we usually overlook.

T

Tenderness

Love, friendship and family — written gently, and always honestly.

O

Open Roads

Seaside towns, cafés and faraway places worth wandering toward.

U

Unhurried

Permission to slow down and take life one step at a time.

R

Resilience

Healing after heartbreak and starting over with a little grace.

S

Second Chances

New beginnings — and learning to trust your own timing.

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What you'll find inside

She Took the Long Way Home

  • Poems about love, loss, healing, self-discovery and starting again.
  • Quiet thoughts and feelings, finally written down — and suddenly familiar.
  • Comfort on heavy days and gentle encouragement when you need it most.
  • Short, honest poems that are easy to read and easy to return to.
  • A companion to keep nearby and open whenever it suits you.
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Why Readers Keep It Close

She Took the Long Way Home isn't a book to rush through — it's a gentle companion to return to again and again.

Here's why it stays on the nightstand:

Honest & Relatable

Drawn from real moments and genuine feelings — never forced, never fussy.

A Gentle Companion

Keep it close and return to it any time the day asks for something calmer.

Comfort When You Need It

Light relief when the day feels heavy, and a little courage for the rest.

Beautifully Simple

Short, warm poems that are easy to read and easy to love.

Take Control of Your Long Way Home

Get She Took the Long Way Home now for just

$19.95
She Took the Long Way Home cover

What's Included

  • The full She Took the Long Way Home paperback
  • A heartfelt debut poetry collection about detours, healing and second chances
  • Poems to keep close and return to on quiet, heavy or hopeful days
  • An optional invitation to Jennifer's reader list for new poems and updates
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Author Jennifer Bates
Meet the author

Jennifer Bates

Jennifer Bates writes poetry about the quiet, in-between moments of ordinary life — love and loss, healing and second chances, and the small things we overlook but never forget.

She Took the Long Way Home is her debut collection: a gentle, honest companion for anyone navigating change, rebuilding after heartbreak, or simply learning to take life one step at a time.

She believes the long way round is rarely wasted — and that the right words, at the right moment, can make you feel a little less alone.