"I am a poet and artist," Huffstickler says in Holy Secrets: The Art and Poetry of Albert Huffstickler, a film by Matthew D. Listiak. "And an observer of humanity . . . from a safe distance." His poems embody his mystical observations in language that is both literary and commonplace. Why I Write in Coffee Houses and Diners, includes selections his books, chapbooks, and journal publications. Huffstickler's extraordinary treatment of the ordinary illustrates his own quest and the simple lives of those he meets, including strangers in cafes and homeless people on the street.