Beneath

by Initially NO (Illustrator)

This is the 8th book of poetry by Initially NO. 'Beneath' explores the underground, the psyche, the restlessness of society...takes the reader on a poetic journey of social protest, alienation, death and habits of existing, what is allowed and what isn't. 'Beneath' is about grief, deep thinking and recognising the impossibility of all being satisfied, the burying alive of some members of society and the incredible allowance for the existence of chimeric propaganda. The book is decorated with colourful images, created by the author. It is an outstanding book that will take you below the surface to take nutrients from the soil and listen to the pulse of the planet. Michael Reynolds says, 'Initially NO shows that words of strength, defiance and love for life can rise from the darkest places. The "mask held upon our face forsaken" will keep yelling at you long after it has been put down.' Ilya Shambat says about this book, 'Intense. Passionate. Brilliant. Initially NO courageously tackles big issues and addresses them with compassion and intelligence. Her work is artistically masterful and personally moving. This book is a treat to read and also edifying on many matters.' Glenn Floyd says, 'Hard hitting, high impact; simply riveting to read.' Robert James Conlon says, 'Initially's poems have a strong sense of her own unique voice that weaves through the odd, quirky and the strange tinted with wiry grin, and yet there are emotionally poignant pieces that collided with me sending me spiralling into moments of silent reflection. Read it.'

132 pages, Paperback

First published April 27, 2013

About the author

Author & visual artist,
Retail Store Owner of The Painter & The Writer Gallery.

Reviews

[Ivy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
There were long poems and short poems that targeted mostly social issues. There was a poem about leaving home to be something greater, poems about love, and also poems about self-acceptance, poems of how we view ourselves, and so forth. There were a lot of conflicting moods in these poems. A lot of the poems can be kind of morbid but it depicted issues that can be rather depressing. The illustrations were scattered throughout the book and it was nice to have some color on the page along with the words. I enjoyed it.