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A Once Courageous Heart
This new volume of Kylie Johnson's exquisite poems and illustrations is full of wistful romance and simple humanity. This is a beautifully crafted and designed book, which is both inspiring and uplifting.
- GenresPoetry
160 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2010
40 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 29, 2012
This is Kylie Johnson's second anthology published by Murdoch Books. Kylie is a 5 star friend, so I'll give 5 stars to anything she produces - it's hard not to do so when you have an insider's knowledge into the process. It makes me long to have broken bread with Thomas Hardy, Bruce Dawe, Walt Whitman, Oodgeroo... I imagine their poetry (that informed my adolescence) would have had a different perspective had we been in conversation. This has been a warn reflection for me having had a friend publish her poetry to such critical acclaim.
April 23, 2019
In A Once Courageous Heart, the main plot is based on falling in love. It describes in a good manner about how love can be colorful and full of bliss but yet it can also be quite colorless and empty. During the book, it also says how deeply one can fall in love with someone and then later be torn apart the moment they leave you. It also has moments which happen during a heartbreak that you want to go back to the person although they are long gone.
Kylie Johnson the author of this poetry book uses a lot of imagery during the poem. As well she used rhythm, her poem had an appropriate amount of spacing also the technique which it was written in; bolded words made the font size bigger, and changed the color of the text. The fact that I could imagine the story page by page was intriguing. When she said “autumn moon before you loved me my world was decaying”. I could imagine a cold autumn night and then a guy showing up to show her a path to love.
In my opinion, the poetry book was overall great. I enjoyed every moment I spent reading it. I don’t usually read poetry but I am glad that I was able to find such an amazing book. I was able to relate to most of the books’ story. When she said, “she collects tear drops”. It felt really like something that actually happens after a heartbreak. Although, heartbreaks are the worst the story does well in portraying it. This is very appropriate for adolescents because we are going through heartbreaks left and right, it really helps sooth the heart while reading this.
Kylie Johnson the author of this poetry book uses a lot of imagery during the poem. As well she used rhythm, her poem had an appropriate amount of spacing also the technique which it was written in; bolded words made the font size bigger, and changed the color of the text. The fact that I could imagine the story page by page was intriguing. When she said “autumn moon before you loved me my world was decaying”. I could imagine a cold autumn night and then a guy showing up to show her a path to love.
In my opinion, the poetry book was overall great. I enjoyed every moment I spent reading it. I don’t usually read poetry but I am glad that I was able to find such an amazing book. I was able to relate to most of the books’ story. When she said, “she collects tear drops”. It felt really like something that actually happens after a heartbreak. Although, heartbreaks are the worst the story does well in portraying it. This is very appropriate for adolescents because we are going through heartbreaks left and right, it really helps sooth the heart while reading this.
April 30, 2020
This is one of the best books I have ever read. I loved the word choice and images added. while reading even the placement of the words added to the effect and suspense of the story told through the poetry. The story I found through the poetry was one of a girl who loved and was broken up with. In this process, her heart broke and she had to learn her worth and that the man was not her home. I would suggest that anyone who sees this book reads it especially anyone who loves poetry.
January 11, 2018
Picked up at a library sale, and I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, there's some lovely phrases, and the use of spacing, color, size of words, alignment, and these illustrations add to the poems. On the other hand, there are an awful lot of pages with just a few words on them. That spreads out the poems too much, especially since other poems have more reasonable spacing.
December 24, 2017
I found this book at a thrift store today, for 25 cents I thought I’d give it a shot. Not even worth the quarter! Not a single memorable poem or line.
June 11, 2019
how do people make words so beautiful? i don't get it
July 15, 2012
A unique read. Enjoyed the rhythm, and even though I didn't know what exactly she was trying to say all the time, I felt like I still connected with it. There were some killer lines that if nothing else made it bet worthwhile.
October 23, 2011
Beautiful poetry - makes me want to drink a cup of tea and watch the rain fall. Seriously.
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May 9, 2012moving, compelling poetry...thank you for articulating the human emotion..
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews