Shrubaboti Bose's Blog - Posts Tagged "poetry"

Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures by Leon Stevens

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Leon's collection of poems, short prose pieces and drawings is a carefully drafted mixture of emotions and observations, perhaps even memories. Ones that you might relate with, or understand despite being unfamiliar with the original experience that could have inspired it.

The poems invite you in, bringing you to a place of contemplative silence where you are encouraged to enjoy your solitude. While you are thus preoccupied, you could also admire some of his quick sketches in the sides of these poems or at the start of a new section, that enhances the moody ambience which is characteristic of the whole book. Like the bubbles on the cover, these poems and strange reflections have an effervescent charm that is unique in its own way.

Some poems, especially, "Rain", "Wind", "Winter" and "If (The Refuge)", to name a few, became my favourites along the journey. Their gentle imagery and brief exclamations, build stories making us curious to know more. What I absolutely enjoyed and found specific to Leon's writing style is how the subjects themselves were not always poetic or typically those that we like to associate with poems. These were things from everyday life, problems we face daily or situations we confront from time to time in our routine existence. I believe, it's the power of his wordplay and simple gift with descriptions, that makes the overarching theme of these poems relevant to all of us in a way.

The different types of pieces included in the book also contributes to the wholesome experience. Like the short prose piece towards the end of the book, "Lines by Leon" seems to beckon us and draw us in, like some kind of a single hardcover spine sticking out in a bookshelf. Oddly, I found it quite satisfying and enjoyable to read this book! Highly recommended for poetry lovers and those who appreciate sensitivity in words or images!



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Semi Colon ;: Poetry To Take You Through a Journey Through Mental Health Awareness by Leah Jones

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Heartrending and Emotional poems that are bound to touch you!

I loved the honesty with which every poem in this book is written. The feelings are genuine and the poet never tries to hide her insecurities or her pain. The overarching theme of mental health evokes not pity, but a sense of mutual and silent understanding. You grow to admire the poet's resilience by the end of the book.

Simple lines that you would read, yet it affects you deeply. "You think you know, think you care,/ Truth is, you just sit there and stare/ At me as I read aloud,/ When I’m done, I’m not proud."

Grief, yearning, self-consciousness, anxiety, depression, these poems are submerged in emotions. Spreading awareness about mental health in the most conducive manner. Brilliant work! Recommended for readers across all backgrounds.



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The Evolution of Love: Poems and Stories by Elison

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Poems about love are overrated. They tend to be generally very corny, full of stereotypical messages of eternal happiness, or underwhelming laments of unrequited infatuations, eliciting no real emotion or reaction from the reader. But this collection of poetry and micro-fiction hover over the edge of cliché, painting the nuances of falling in love, staying in love and choosing the same person as "the one" over and over again, while reflecting newer perspectives that each stage of our lives can bring into the frame. The title of the book, The Evolution of Love, does justice to the different forms of love that transcend time or logic throughout these pieces.

They move us in ways we were last touched in our personal encounter with love, forcing us to blink away the tears and gulp the stubborn lump that begins to form in our throats in a frail attempt to overlook the visceral nature of such strong feelings. Love is no longer a fleeting emotion, rather, it takes on a tangible shape, becoming a way of being, a mode of living itself. It is the reason why people cling to one another in hopes for better days and it is what results in the desperation that follows the loss of our dear ones. It encompasses the small joys we keep tucked away in our memories, and the special moments with all the glory of their insignificant minute details. All that comes together in this carefully selected bundle of writing like in a final exuberance of celebration.

Elison immortalizes the emotions that we often experience in the throes of our passion, whether it is lust, mutual respect, love or even spiritual connection with someone who understands us at a deeper level. This book makes you see beyond the facades and pretensions of present day's prescriptive love affairs, it is almost a tribute to the sense of believing in true love and fighting for it vigorously, despite the apparent futility of seeking something so vague and uncertain. It harks back to the power of genuine relationships, the strength in loving with the ideology of accepting a person for who they are, irrespective of their flaws and past baggage. Perhaps, one can sum it up in the poet's own words as, "Loving is the bravest thing/any of us will ever do." Recommended for all those who enjoy reading sensitive, soul-stirring pieces on the matters of the heart and the soul.

(Note: Obtained ARC on Reedsy)



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Sticks Stones & Sanity: Sacred Sequences of Wise Words by Teniola Balogun

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Teniola writes sensitively about issues that are deeply ingrained in our lives, yet they are not convoluted or abstract, they don't evade simple comprehension. Her poems have a tender quality that renders each subject in a thought-provoking light, softly highlighting the emotions, they lament the loss of someone close, expresses the anxiety of a mother separated from her child, discusses dreams and aspirations of the people in Nigeria while critiquing the norms of society that restrict the freedom and growth of the youth. Her voice echoes unafraid and poignant, remaining in our minds even after we put down the book.

Some of my personal favourites in the collection would be Healing, Motherhood, Canine and the Loner, and February Lesson, in no particular order. I will leave you with a quote from one of her poems, "As she looked from me to my sleeping sister/And out the window to the neighbour clothing the lines/To the man helping the pregnant woman with her bag/To the beggar smiling at the crumpled notes in his plate/And back to papa's picture on the wall.../I got my answer;/Love is in humanity/to love is to be human."

(Note: Obtained ARC from IMP)



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My Life in Bits and Pieces by Santoshkumar Uppinal

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The book has poetry along with beautiful minimalistic illustrations, and introductory prose pieces that help in establishing the context of the next poem. Throughout the narration we see the different stages of life that our protagonist experiences. There are hardly any secondary characters, the crux of the story is based entirely on this singular central figure and yet we never get to know her name. Perhaps, it is this absence of a specific identity that makes it universal and relatable to readers, or perhaps it is the disarming candour with which she expresses her angst, grief, anxiety and her fervent admiration as well as newfound love that engages us. But there is something about it that holds your attention and urges you to turn the pages.

The beauty of this book lies not in the language itself, which although rich in vocabulary, misses the mark by a couple of inches in the natural fluidity or eloquence that one expects in a haibun or other poetic compositions; but it is the ingenuity of the subject and the manner in which it covers that. Despite the traumatic events she witnessed, in spite of all her misgivings and apprehensions, she journeys through life and finds herself feeling exactly the same emotions that any other person would. It makes her humane and it keeps the character rooted.

One might consider such optimism slightly far-fetched but sometimes, it is important to remember that our past can influence the way we react to or interpret a situation, but it is our decisions that eventually give shape to our future. Recommended for adventurous readers who won't shy away from new forms of writing.

(Note: Obtained as ARC on Reedsy Discovery)



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kaleidoscope of colors II by Robert A. Cozzi

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A sensitive and nuanced journey through the author's life portrayed in myriads of emotional poems!!

Reading this collection feels like taking a brief journey into the life of the narrator. The poems are thoughtful but not mere flights of fantasy, where the nuances stop having any relevance. Here you will find brilliant poetry portraying deeper emotions as the narrator himself grapples with grief, loss, love and friendship. Reflecting his various sensations in such a humane and sensitive way invites and keeps us enraptured. It's the beauty in simple descriptions of sharing a watermelon with a lover or watching someone you care about from a distance and admiring them, that holds our attention curiously.

One of the best thing about these poems is that they capture both the fleeting and the persisting memories with equal tenderness, like the winter sunlight that dissolves softly into night, the untamed wind on a summer afternoon dishevelling locks of hair on someone's forehead. While Robert doesn't shy away from his own feelings and his queer identity, he also encourages the reader to have an open mind as he smoothly guides us through the different periods of his lifetime. The lines flow like water, naturally with a rhythm of it's own. Here's a quote to illustrate that, "And when we hug hello/I hear you make the sound I have come to love/A little sigh of happiness/And all my irritation/Simply drains away".

It would be limiting to call this just a mere collection of poetry because it is so much more, in how it depicts the city of New York, the music scene during the late 1980s, the kind of treatment or prejudice the LGBTQ+ community had to live with, and the almost universal expectation of people to move on from a personal loss. There are a few letters, written in a candid confessional tone, that reads like a journal entry, and some passages that describe cherished memories of loved ones. Overall, if you love reading sensitive nuanced poetry, you will find it worth your time and if you are a newcomer to this style, you would be convinced to try more by the time you are a few pages into it.

(Note: ARC obtained on Reedsy Discovery.)



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Dark Designs by Micah Taylor

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A collection of poems exploring the often suffocating and disturbing moments in life

If you have ever travelled in an overcrowded public transport or been shoved around, jostled in busy streets where people keep rushing onwards to their uncertain futures, you would know the bitterness that sometimes seep into our ordinary lives. This book reflects upon those dark moments when we were pushed down and trampled on. The authorial voice speaks without restraint, voicing her distaste for capitalist society, rebuking the flawed education system that encourage children to start mugging up information, and the mindless fantasies that a patriarchal culture imposes on the minds of little girls.

We are taught to endure the hard times, slog through the unfair circumstances and made to believe in the concept of waiting for the "right man" instead of chasing our own ambitions. There are instances in the poems, "I couldn't shut off the sound/couldn't drown out/my own voice", where the narrator describes a sense of feeling overpowered by anxieties and nagging thoughts that seem to agonize them day in and out. Micah probably uses "silence" and "void" to signify the problems of mental health issues or the toxic habit of self-deprecation, which has the potential to upset anyone's peace of mind.

It is also interesting to note how Nadia interprets the poems in her own unique style of illustrations, creating a poignant dialogue between the two that adds another layer of meaning to the text. The poem "Void" featured at the end of the collection compares the urge to escape reality, to find an addiction to distract oneself and we notice how the accompanying art is that of a woman being sucked into a spiralling wormhole of nothingness, her eyes closed, that shuts off her sense of direction and her arm extended towards the metaphorical void.

Although the language used in the poem lacks a certain fluidity or cadence that could have definitely added flavour to the writings, the consistency of the author's intention throughout the book makes it standout. For example, a poem that is likely to leave an indelible impression on the reader's mind is "Suffering Illusions", as it precisely describes the mental burdens we pick up unintentionally and that eventually weighs us down until a distant melody reminds us of our true purpose in life again. Overall, a good read for people who enjoy poetry with a healthy dose of resentment for injustices.

(Note: ARC obtained on Reedsy Discovery)



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Language of Souls by Caitrin Kelly

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Treasure trove of poems tracing different emotions and exploring memories from the past

This collection of poems has been beautifully curated to trace the journey of a person throughout their lifetime, reflecting both the ups and downs in the complete trajectory. But what is most significant is how there is an essence of universality wrapped around these diverse expressions of the poet's personal experiences. It invites the reader to visualize the given predicament and to relate with the speaker while maintaining a slight distance that further builds interest.

Some of these poems talk about love, childhood memories, celebrating birth, some are about grief or mourning a loss and a few others resonate with a yearning for returning home, here, back to the wide green pastures of Ireland. Perhaps, it is this innate longing for one's native land that has been sensitively mirrored in these poems which ultimately touches our heartstrings as it echoes inside our minds long after we have read the poem. Different situations can alienate us from our origins, but it is this constant urge to go back and reclaim our roots that make these poems particularly stand out from the rest.

However, there are also poems that seem a bit forced and therefore unusual, for instance, in "The Enlightenment" or "Death and Loss" and "The Lake Poet", the ending words in every line are made to rhyme but a few stray lines escape this tradition, making us wonder what could be the poet's intentions. Despite such incongruencies, it is certain that a large number of Caitrín's poems showcase remarkable internal rhythm and cadence. Especially poems such as "Ireland", "A Wish", "The Ember" and "The Blackwater River" leave an indelible impression on our souls as they transport us to another place and time.

Poetry has always been one of the most expressive forms of literature in spite of its brevity and inclination to abstractism. This nuance is nurtured and developed in these poems with the help of imagery and other poetic devices such as figures of speech or alliteration. Yet this kind of play with the form often makes poetry too abstract to be enjoyable by the masses. It is important to note that such embellishments do not make this collection unattainable or unreachable, but in fact commonplace things and ordinary emotions has been highlighted here with a new kind of attention making it more accessible. Recommended for anyone with a simple interest in poetry.

(Note: ARC obtained on Reedsy Discovery)



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Love, Loss, New Life: Writing Your Way from Grief to Happiness by Karen Skillings

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A collections of poems written with sensitivity and understanding to help readers come to terms with their own grief

Grieving can be a very isolating experience. Often when we lose someone close to us, we find ourselves suddenly thrown into pitch darkness, a state of mind from where it is impossible to get out and we welcome the darkness which seems to envelop us. It paralyses our senses and makes us inaccessible to other people. This is where this book particularly stands out as a beacon of hope. Karen beautifully draws brief sketches of her own turbulent thoughts and shifting dialogues with herself after her agonizing loss, while also remembering to invite the readers to participate in her journey of healing.

She offers her poetry collection as a gesture of empathy and support to encourage the reader to walk along with her, transferring us with the power of her words from utter desolation and mourning to a state of joy and happiness. What is particularly interesting in this book is that it has a list of writing prompts and space to jot down your own thoughts after every section. Karen believes that writing helps in the overall process of healing and with that thought in mind, she decides to encourage people through her poems to inculcate a writing habit as they processed their own grief and anguish.

Her poems may not have exceptional value in terms of their literary merit, but one must admit that they possess a certain level of sensitivity and nuance that only someone who has personally gone through such a range of emotions can write. The poems are original and the language utilised in them show genuine emotions that reflect the depth of feelings for Ron, from day to day as she had journaled them. But there is light at the end of the tunnel and there is hope moving forward, that is to transcend from the state of sorrow into happiness. In the end, the author is able to connect with her inner Self and liberate her mind from the past.

This book is specially recommended for those who have recently lost someone they held dear and also for people who enjoy reading simple poetry.

(Note: ARC obtained from Reedsy Discovery)



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Unapologetically Feminist by Urvashi Bundel

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Fiercely independent and constantly thought-provoking collection of poetry.

Literature has always been subjective and poetry even more so. In addition to being open to multiple interpretations, poems have the power to take up any form we project upon them due to the amalgamation of our different past experiences. Some of these experiences have coloured our perception of the world around us, some might have shaped our own personalities and few others seeped into our works - unintentionally marking them as ours. Perhaps this is why poetry can be both extremely personal and yet universal at the same time.

In this book, Urvashi explores themes of nationalism, misogyny, racism, gender inequality, hypocrisy among other social injustices. But what is really interesting is how her poems address each issue while juxtaposing them against the local and global scenario. There are poems that talk about women's spirit of resilience as a collective and then there are some others which attempt to highlight the consequences of the pandemic at a whole. Be it the effect of isolation on mental health or the result of prolonged quarantine leading to lesser social interactions, these subjects are all quite relevant and relatable to most of us.

The book also has small illustrations at the beginning of each section that serves to differentiate between the various sub-topics that were covered in it. While some of the poems may come off as a little obscure or vague, to the point of even slightly predictable due to the use of a common language, it adds to the mystery of the persona featured in these works. Indeed, there are also a few chosen poems that would definitely leave quite a lasting impact on the reader. Urvashi sensitively and deftly plays with complex ideas such as immigration as well as human rights. Her voice seems to turn into a clarion call for other coloured women to come out and speak up.

Overall, the anthology helps us confront some of the most pressing issues faced by coloured women all over the world and inspires people to do the same. It is thought provoking and certain lines keep resonating in our minds long after we have finished reading the book. Another important point to note would be, a few poems referring foreign cultural practices were lacking footnotes to help understand these terms. Some of my personal favourites were 'On Turtles and Women', 'Patterns', 'Margin of Error', 'Great Expectations' and 'Colourism'.

(Note: ARC obtained from Reedsy Discovery)



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