"Ecstatic Encounters: Poetry and Paintings Worth a Thousand Words" is an ars poetica: a marriage of visual art and poetry. It is a collaboration by artist Jesse Glenn and poet Brandon Thompson. At the core of this project is an effort to capture the universal experience of personal influence. We hope to illuminate the simple stories of the people and places that touch our lives. This book is a culmination of our work together, as it presents each of Jesse's lovingly-crafted paintings alongside Brandon's accompanying ecstatic poetry. Both of these mediums, visual art and written word, come together in this project with the intention of capturing the essence of our subjects. Throughout this book, you will witness our dance with archetypes and images, each representing the individuals and experiences who live in our hearts and touch us along our Paths.