Oaths: Poems

by F.S. Yousaf

The poems within Oaths contain a promise made to oneself for a better future. Read with all the hope you can muster.

A stunning and emotional follow-up to 2022’s Serenity , poet F.S. Yousaf continues his exploration of the self along the journey into adulthood in Oaths . This earnest collection picks up where Serenity left off, speaking to young readers who may be struggling with finding purpose in life and feeling hopeless in the face of recession, war, and division. Yousaf doesn’t offer answers, but a welcoming hand and a warm embrace to remind us all that we are not alone on the journey toward hope, love, and a life of meaning.

Genres: Poetry

144 pages, Paperback

Published June 4, 2024

About the author

F.S. Yousaf is a poet and writer from New Jersey. He is the author of five poetry collections, and finds himself writing about many topics—most notably about love, spirituality, and boyhood. He has a Bachelors in History and Secondary Education and is getting his MFA in Creative Writing from William Paterson University.

His forthcoming poetry collection is titled ‘Euphoria’, and will be published Fall 2025.

Stay connected with F.S. Yousaf for daily updates through Instagram (@fs.yousaf).

Reviews

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Oaths: Poems is an emotional collection of poems about life, growing up, struggles, heartache, and finding ones purpose in the world of today. Many of these poems touched my heart and soul, and some made me feel like I was receiving a warm hug from the author whilst others made me feel like I needed to give him a hug.
This is a perfect collection for anyone struggling to feel less helpless and alone.

[F.S. Yousaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revisiting trauma and boyhood is fun! (Not)

[Emily | bookwhispererem · Rating 3 out of 5]

As is true with most poetry collections, I found some of F.S. Yousaf’s poems more engaging than others. This collection seems to be an exploration of grief, hopelessness, and relationships, both old and new. An intimate and raw collection depicting coming-of-age and finding one’s self.

Thank you to F.S. Yousaf, Andrews McMeel Publishing, & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

[maisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of F.S Yousaf’s poetry, I was excited for Oaths and it did not disappoint at all!

The poems in Oaths touch on grief, love, trauma, self-image, family and more. F.S Yousaf showcases immense vulnerability in this collection as he shares about his scars, existential questions, past relationships, and relationship with his father. His poems on love are romantic, and I mean the dedication??? Love and romance very much still alive y’all!

With a mix of poems in various lengths, F.S Yousaf engages in deep self-reflection as he explores different experiences that have shaped him. The poems show his healing and leaves us with a sense of hope for better times.

Some of my favorites from the collection include: Wayfarer, Brimming, Existence,
1996, Self-Inflicted, and Kabar.

10/10 recommend! Thank you to Andrews McMeel & F.S Yousaf for an early copy 🫶🏽

[Seher · Rating 3 out of 5]

"My body moves like a tree on a breezeless summer day."

Oaths is not the first book I've read by F.S. Yousaf; the other was Sincerely which I ended up not being able to get through. I think this work shows massive improvement by the author and I'm interested to see how the next one will turn out.

Thank you NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the chance to read and review this book.

[Sahar Jennah · Rating 5 out of 5]

“How I wish, ache, we could have gotten to know each other for who we were, not who we wanted each other to be.” another great poetry book it’s like my internal thoughts and inner monologue were put into words!!

[Megan Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Transitioning into adulthood is a complicated, daunting and unique experience for everyone; we all wonder if others feel the same so we can understand ourselves. Yet, some may hope they don't so that their life lessons stay as unique as themselves. F.S. Yousaf allows himself to be raw and emotional as he describes his experiences through this poetry collection.

I enjoyed how simple yet emotional many of his poems are; they convey a man who experiences challenges and lessons that tug at your heartstrings, and some feel so relatable they almost seem catered to the reader. Oaths is a poetry collection I recommend for poetry lovers. I also think it's a good starting point for anyone wanting to get into poetry.

Thank you, NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[⊹₊⋆Sydney⊹₊⋆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"How could I have ever fully loved you when parts of you found love in hurting yourself.." I died.

[Kaylee Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was wonderful. I have never felt so connected to literature. I cried, grieved, and fell down in this book. By the end, I took my broken soul and stood with the author in unison. Please read this book.

[Brianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have no clue what I was expecting. I ordered it in a whim. It reads as if you’re listening to someone who is reading it. Which for me, reading it out loud while I was reading it, was amazing… it flowed so well. Even if that’s not a YOU style; it still had its parts that felt like home.

[Grim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished reading 'Oaths' by F.S Yousaf, and I am utterly moved. I experienced a whirlwind of emotions unravelling through each poem, feeling every word written deep in the echoes of the heart. This collection is a beautiful tapestry of loss, growth, yearning, and profound questions.

The beauty of these poems lies in their ability to be interpreted in a way that speaks directly to the soul. The weightiness of some pieces prompted me to savour each one slowly, making this the kind of poetry collection I would cocoon myself in on the couch when I seek introspection into my past and pains endured.

Despite the deep introspection these poems evoke, prokoking the reader to reflect on their own past and hopes for the future, they fit neatly onto a single page, making it easy to read. But even on a single page, the words remain heavy. The inclusion of simple black and white drawings interspersed throughout the book beautifully complements the poems' simplicity and sharing a small amount of hope and beauty.

There's one poem on page 34 that continues to linger in my thoughts, and I can't help but wonder how many others it resonates with. I don't think it will be one I forget.

'Oaths' is a collection that captured my heart. Some words within will forever reside there."

I would like to send a massive thank you to Netgallery for allowing me to review this book. All words and opinions are entirely my own. And thank you to F.S Yousaf for this beautiful collection of poetry.

[Emi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Publishing date: 04.06.2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the ARC. My opinions are my own. 

The book as a meal: I am snacking in the therapists' office before my appointment
The book left me: Calling my therapist

Negatives: 
Some poems were missing titles, but this could be intentional or corrected after publishing

Positives: 
I related maybe a bit too much to this book
Hopeful but "real" 
Deeply personal

Features: 
Illustrations, themes of trauma, lyrical, raw emotion, heartfelt experiences, three parts, 

Bonus feature:
I cried at least twice

Why did I choose this one? 
Lovely cover, more poems for a very "poem hungry" person (me), and the themes in the blurb seemed to hit close to home for me (it did)

Pick-up-able? Put-down-able? 
Devourable. This whole book was eaten up in a single sitting. I could not stop myself from just blasting through it.

What was the vibe and mood? 
I felt the whole time like I was processing some deep childhood memories that I had long since buried. Almost as if I was back in a therapist's chair and unloading everything. At the same time, it was nice to be able to feel so deeply while reading. 

Overall vibe of: Let me be vulnerable and tell you of my traumatic childhood

Final ranking and star rating? 
S tier book, 5 stars. This will be sitting with me for a long time. Touched me deeply, I cried on my poor e-reader. Absolutely I will recommend it to everyone I meet. Hey, want to read a traumatic collection? Read this one!
Stunning, one of the best of 2024. 


Favorite poems: 
Wilting
Existence
Identity issues
Scabs
Dug up
Flaws
My body was your canvas
Look at me

[sahra (readwithsahra_) · Rating 4 out of 5]

***ARC***

f.s yousaf remains my favourite modern poet and his new book is once again cementing this fact

one thing about yousaf’s work, it’s going to be very personal to me. with each book I read from him, I am stunned to witness how the words buried deep in the depth of my heart are put on paper by him, capturing what I feel in nuances I don’t even see myself

oaths is about as therapeutic as it is heart-wrenching. as always a lot of themes are explored, such as sadness, love, depression, self-doubt, self-hate, parental issues and trauma responses. but such difficult subjects are linked to the beautiful imagery of flowers and their different states of existence (blooming, just born, dying) and this juxtaposition was as unexpected yet soft and refreshing

this book is different from his two last previously released work (serenity and sincerely) but resembles his first work (euphoria) it’s raw, unfiltered and sincere in a more polished and developed way. oaths feels like the therapy you can’t afford and is written for every single immigrant kid with some kind of crippling parent issues

I loved it and I highly recommend!

rating: 4.5⭐️

[Perrixall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words that beautifully echo my own.

« I wonder who I am when
Anger simmers. A pot boiling on the stove,
Awaiting its ingredients.
Who am I
If not a person aching to be filled desperately
With anything that may quell the steam
Which begs to be released? 
I must search for that which will prevent me from overflowing. »
—————
« Who are we if not a mosaic of all our encounters-
We look in the mirror, seeing
Stained glass with colors we don’t even know the names of. »
—————
« Feeling the depletion of my younger years that have caved in and waited
For the adult to pick them up. And not knowing where the pieces fit,
If a manual for reconstruction even exists. »

[Abby Cunningham · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really REALLY wish I liked this book enough to finish it, but I just couldn't get behind the poetry style. It felt so disjointed and it didn't really feel like there was much personal behind it. There didn't feel like there was a story we were following and the organization of the poems felt really stilted. One poem would talk about the beauty of love and then the next threw you into a whole other category, some of which were polar opposites in topics.

I didn't know what the book was trying to accomplish, which is honestly one of the most frustrating and unmotivating things.

Read at your own risk.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oaths is a beautiful collection of poems. They are written so cleanly, so tight and minimal, that several times I was taken off guard by the depths of its contents and left staring at the page trying to process the art I’d just read. Yousaf skillfully weaves topics of loneliness, identity, heartbreak, and hope with images of sprouts and sunlight and flowers. My favorite poems include In Solitude, Renaissance, When I Can’t Sleep, and I’m Grieving.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kennidy Shindledecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I absolutely loved this ! I love reading poems but this book really hit home and had me thinking about my feelings of childhood. Some of my favorite poems from this are "I am the bearer", "Renaissance", " One of the same (?)", and "us". I read this book very quickly, only 1 hour of active reading time but I have thought about many of the poems hours after reading. I would absolutely recommend this book of poems.

[Mikayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book captures what it is like to be a young person in this day and age. I think many young people could benifit the exisstentialist callings in these verses. Both hopeful and and sad, this book of poems encapsulates dread and rebirth.

[Autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful collection of poetry. The authors writing is unique and inspiring. It made me feel things I haven’t felt in awhile. Made me think of my past and my childhood. It’s an incredible book.

[Abbas · Rating 5 out of 5]

If your skin complexion is brown, you will relate

[Meghan Jump · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this poetry book was beautifully written. I was captured by every page and every word. The author uses phrases and imagery that brings their words to life.

[E.M. McConnell]

I do really like illustrations with poetry. I'm sure some think it's crass. I don't care. I like it. This poet is pithy, with simple words. I like that, although it can be risky. Can you reach, and shatter hearts, with simple? Sometimes.

The cup curves around my lips
As each day passes,
I've learned to accept your warmth.

I like this. It's simple, sure. But it's got something to it. I particularly liked Taraxacum.

I pretend the white speckles on my ceiling are stars.
Looking up, I am a weed in a bed of grass.

This collection feels like a poet themselves in chrysalis: forming, developing, growing. They are becoming.

I draw oaths on my skin -
I'd like to remember these days when
I don't want to disappear.

Generations, On Divorce, Say It, Broken Concrete and Us, were sparks of brilliance that really show where this poet is going. This is a good collection. The next will be even better.

[Dora Okeyo · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The ocean in me is restless and untamable."
This is one of the lines that had my attention in this collection. A journey divided in three parts, reading this was going through the motions of life; despair, anger, bitterness, love, longing, desire for love, fear, forgiveness and a whole lot more experiences brought to life with one or two sentences.
I believe that anyone who has lived would relate to the poems here, and some of my favorites include 'Say It', 'Faith', 'Regrets,' 'Perspectives,' and 'Brimming.' Does this mean that I am going through the motions of life in these poems? Maybe yes, maybe no- but the desire to shout and give a round of applause to 'Say It' got me thinking of the people, places and situations that dim our light for fear of it's brightness.
The other great thing about this book are the illustrations, you may stumble upon a couple, and they'd charm you.

Note: I got an eARC of this lovely book from Netgalley.

[Mari Mankle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to thank Netgally for my e-ARC!

I don’t usually review books of poetry because I feel like they are such vulnerable pieces of the author’s soul. However, I will here. My thoughts:

1. The author didn’t play around with form much. This might be a personal thought, but I love when poems explode beyond the bounds of prose. Use weird punctuation, break up words and lines, make it more poetic (ironic, I know). Section “III” played around with this more and I LOVED so many of the pieces in this section.

2. I did not understand d the pieces without titles. Were they continuations of the previous poem? Standalones? Without titles, they lacked clarity.

3. I think the design and use of imagery was well spaced and well used!

4. The poems were cohesive and understandable while still requiring the reader to think and ask questions! Bravo!

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I guess the mark of all good poetry is to put into words the emotions that have long sat at the bottom of your heart. That being said, cover to cover, Oaths is yet another emotional adventure in what seems to be a reflection of oneself. Some poems you’ll find yourself rereading in your mind for hours after- like the face a beautiful person you pass at a subway station. Their smile haunts your eyes for days after- Oaths is no different.

[Lagoonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review
3.5
I did enjoy this poetry collection. You can really feel the emotion and trauma behind his writing. However, I don't feel like anything particularly stood out to me. As far as the rising popularity of "notes app poetry" goes, I would say that this is above those in quality. The writing is undoubtedly genuine, and while still relatable, you can tell that it isn't trying to be generic to the point of pandering to mass audiences.

[Nichole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure if it's because I had a hard time reading poetry on a device or because I haven't experienced a romance related heartbreak in years, but the majority of these poems did not speak to me. There were a few that did though and I enjoyed those immensely.

Well written but I don't think I'm the target audience.

(Thank you net galley for the arc in exchange for an honest review)

[Karina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to netgalley for an arc of this book.

This was a nice poetry collection, it was emotional and almost lyrical at the same time and the illustrations added a personal touch to the different poems. It didn't hit quite as hard for me as this authors previous works but its still good.

[Bea (beansbookshelves) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley.

An extremely personal poetry book, I really enjoyed reading this one. Some of these poems are simple in writing, yet complex in nature. The illustrations also add a nice touch to it.

[Syed Mahmood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of really heartfelt pieces and relatable themes. As always FS Yousaf delivers a great collection that will have you engaged with every page