Poetry for the Blind

by Atmos

How often do we reflect on the life we are living or the kind of future we are heading towards as a species?

The way that we think of the world shapes the world that we live in and how we interact with it.

Poetry for the Blind is a collection of poems about issues in the world, philosophy, consciousness, raising awareness of gratitude, promoting positive change, and concerns for the future of humanity.

Through poetry, this book offers readers a way to explore the human condition through the eyes of the author and reflect on issues affecting the collective consciousness residing in human lives on a mass scale. Through turmoil and devastating circumstances, Poetry for the Blind progresses towards a sense of possibility and hope for a positive future—a future that we can still have.

We have the power to change the world but we have to start with ourselves first.

Genres: Poetry

94 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 3, 2023

Reviews

[Harmony Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential poetry about world issues and positive change

First of all, the title doesn't mean what you might think it means; at least, not in a literal sense. Secondly, this is the sort of poetry everyone should read. This wonderful opening quote says it all: 'The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it.'

As the author says, 'This book of poetry was written in response to all of the injustices and commonly accepted perceptions which are ingrained in our society.'

I couldn't agree more with the following statement: 'What we do to someone else, we also do to ourselves.'

This is a collection of beautiful poetry which I read in one sitting. However, it is also a collection I need to revisit over and again and properly digest the wisdom and hope embedded within these wonderful words, which echo my own sentiments and philosophy in life. Here are some of my favourite lines and poems (please note, there were so many, I've had to severely limit what I show for this review) ...

'FROM SUSPENSION: Another persecutor craving attention' and 'A foundation harnessed at home | Anger authorised by a lack of affection | Take responsibility for your child | And for their perception.'

And ...

'FROM MELANIN: Fighting a war against prejudice | Over melanin produced in the skin.' ... Oh, how true!

And ...

'FROM MACHINES: Corrective surgery | The manipulation of a gene | Editing DNA is a precursor | To man becoming machine.'

I highlighted so many more poems and verses, way too many to list here. All I can say is you'll have to read this book for yourself! As you may have guessed, Poetry for the Blind gets a resounding 5 stars from me. Even better, at the time of writing this review, as well as when I discovered this book, the Kindle version is FREE! It doesn't get a whole lot better than that. Go read this wonderful collection ... it may just change your life.

***
NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

[David Court · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first, the words of Atmos seem cold and clinical – but it’s only in the days since I first read them that I realise the effectiveness of them, and how appropriate a metaphor that is. Like a surgeon’s scalpel, they’re designed to pierce and get under the skin – and many of them will do exactly that, demanding that they be revisited and re-evaluated. Spanning the breadth of human experience, there’s barely a topic not touched upon in this collection.

‘Poetry for the Blind’ is an elegant work where the order of the poetry is as relevant as the words in the poems themselves; Atmos’s writing makes for a well-thought-out journey. Some of the destinations may make us uncomfortable – and make for some intimidating introspection – but each waypoint is essential, and this is the true majesty of the work.

Many of the pieces may at first glance seem nihilistic, but there’s a welcome optimism to be found here as well – a strong belief that we’re all capable of bettering ourselves and, by extension, the society around us. It’s an impressive collection indeed, and I look forward to seeing his thoughts collected in such a manner again.

[Hannah Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This poetry collection raises awareness for worldwide issues such as war, assault, habitat loss, homelessness, addiction, famine and death, and promotes compassion and positive change for the future of humanity. Poetry for the Blind is just that: poetry for the blind, because aren’t we all a little blind to the big issues that don’t directly affect us? It took me a few sessions to read this as I really wanted to grasp the poems with the power they deserve, and wow, were they powerful.

“Together we can change world, but only if we play our part. Stop being ignorant, an act of kindness will heal the heart.”

[Olivia Nahmias · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4 stars*
I was hooked by the preface, "Our beliefs are not our own and what we believe is the result of our environment or what other people have told us. Right and wrong are subjective terms and they are open to interpretation. The question is, who decides which is which?"

Each poem is about a relevant "taboo" topic and is articulated very well. B+ from me!

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful Words

I felt myself in the author's words. I felt as the author was truly baring their soul. Using their words to release the past trauma, and find peace in sharing those words.

[Val.F · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully written from the heart poetry book which though a slightly sad read does make you think about the injustice of life and you can tell the author has a compassionate heart and feels very deeply about the state of the world we live in.

[Louise Erskine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book covers a diverse range of subjects affecting modern western society and within helps the reader to engage in asking some very necessary questions

[D.G. Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is what I’d classify as thought provoking poetry; like a poetic glossary of the meaning of important words of life and the essence of what each titled passage represents to us all as humans who share the same planet, – love, loss, death, war, courage, and so many more; all circling around the human condition. “Life can be a wonderful journey but we have to stand together as one against injustice and discrimination against each other. We are all parts of the whole and we are all connected.” The poems of Atmos are reflections on various components of living and human decency and emotion.

As the author states, he wrote this book to highlight the injustices of society, and offer hope. And don’t be fooled by the title, it’s a metaphor – translation: ‘messages of awakening’. My perception of the title is that this wonderfully stated poetry should be required reading for many, as I believe ‘the blind’ is a gentle reminder to open our eyes to the world around us.

This book can be read in one sitting, just as each poem can be read randomly to savor.

[Stevie Hostetter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Open Minded Poetry

This poetry book was thought-provoking, with a mix of enlightening, soul-searching, and controversial poems. The poems were so powerful that they reached into my deepest thoughts, addressing injustices and cruelty towards people. Although some of the poems could be upsetting for some readers, I appreciated the author's bravery in expressing their beliefs. Although I didn't agree with all of the poems, I enjoyed reading this book and gaining insights into a different reality.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for literature that explores deeper themes. The book contains poems that are enlightening and soul-searching, and it may be of interest to readers who are looking for literature that addresses injustices and cruelty towards people. However, readers should be aware that the book contains some potentially controversial content. Overall, this book is worth reading and could inspire meaningful reflection.

[Juliet Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant collection of pieces. While it is poetry it definitely has a spoken word vibe. I could feel the author's passion in the words as he takes on some serious subjects from animal welfare, to homelessness, to addiction, to depression. I would love to hear this as an audiobook set to music as the power comes in the rhythm and fearless path into touchy subjects.

[Darpan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Came across Atoms by pure chance and decided to give their book a the after learning that they wrote a book with poetry.

Loved some parts of the poetry:

And move forward into a new world Where melanin doesn’t depict who lives and who dies

A path decided by another Shortly after it started

[Tori · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book touches on numerous global issues as well as mental health concerns such as bipolar disorder and addiction. There was a lot that I read and agreed with, but to me it felt flat and disjointed.

[yam · Rating 3 out of 5]

dang the world issues in this ….

[Zowie Norris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let’s talk about the cover first - I won’t lie - this is what intrigued me first. A beautiful and striking piece of art - with a clever pun for the title .
This collection certainly does open your eyes to many worldly issues such as war, famine, humans taken over by machines and politics. Atmos does not shy away from any controversy and addresses these issues with purpose and passion in all of his poems.
The quote by Selena Duke at the beginning, really captures the essence of this thought- provoking collection;
‘The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it. ‘
But please don’t think that this book is all ‘Power to the people- us against the world’ , as there are many that inspire, encourage and promote positive change and raise awareness of gratitude too.
Pieces that I found really powerful and well written were;
Identity - which raises awareness of how pressures make you feel - wanting to ‘fit in’ and the stigma that’s attached with this.
Symbols - is so powerful. Loved the repetition and rhythm that emphasises many of the worldly issues associated with them.
Abandonment- wow - the raw emotion in this!
Perception - this is my favourite one out of the collection- truly relatable.
‘ War ‘ and ‘ Machines’ are truly thought-provoking pieces too.
There is a strong sense of hope throughout this collection- reminding us all that we can change things - starting with ourselves. A highly recommended read- one that I will keep returning to.

[Brandon Skanes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't like throwing this word around too often: but this is a "masterpiece."