Murmurations

by Sarah Thompson

In the beginning was love.
Curiosity.
Imagination.
- “Theology for beginners”

An immersive collection of 52 poems perfect for nature lovers, the spiritually inclined, and those seeking comfort and affirmation in the chaos of modern life.

Divided into 5 categories of Forest, Body, Mind, Love and Universe, Sarah Thompson’s open and intuitive poetry invites you to take a walk in the woods, be present in the moment, laugh, dance, sing, wonder at the night sky, and be at peace with yourself.

From the simple truth of “Green jacket”, the power of “Radicalised”, the wry humour of “She said, he said”, to the raw emotion of “To be loved”, Murmurations is sure to include something for any poetry lover.


Praise for Murmurations:

“Beautiful. Poignant. Thought-provoking. Evocative.”
- @bluefairybugsbooks on Instagram and Amazon UK

“I felt a kindredness to Sarah Thompson as she explored life and its complexities within this collection.”
- @onewriterswords on Instagram and Goodreads

“While I was reading these poems, it did make me reflect on things in my life. The poems are written beautifully and were very moving.”
- Tea Leaves & Book Leaves blog and Amazon UK

“Although it's a quick read, you'll find yourself deeply immersed in the beautiful, evocative words that resonate long after you've finished.”
- @meandmybookshelf on Instagram and Amazon IN

Genres: Poetry

106 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 26, 2024

About the author

Sarah Thompson is an Irish-Norwegian writer, currently residing in a small Dutch village in Drenthe, with her partner and three cats. She has always loved reading and books and has a master’s degree in comparative literature.

In possession of a vivid imagination, writing - whether it be poetry, memoir, crime fiction or fantasy - provides an outlet and a way to share her passion and use her powers for good, instead of using them to give herself nightmares.

When she’s not banging her head against the keyboard or getting distracted by ever-important details such as the different calls of owls, or what the definition of a city is, she can often be found in the woods, wherever there’s bathing water, or curled up on the sofa with a pile of books, a pile of cats and a nice, dark beer.

You can find her on YouTube and Facebook as ‘Sarah Thompson Writing’, and Instagram and Bluesky as @sarahcominghome.

She also writes a quarterly newsletter which you can sign up for here.

Her poetry debut, Murmurations, is out 26th of February 2024, and a memoir of her walk from Amsterdam to Berlin is in the works. Watch this space.

Reviews

[Sarah]

Happy birthday, baby! Murmurations is officially out today! I've had a lot of fun writing these poems over the years and I hope they can bring you some joy too, or recognition, or comfort, or laughter. Or all of the above.

[Corinne Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

“my limbs liquid, thrumming/turned golden, molten, melting in the sun”

There was something sad and melancholy about this collection, and yet light and bright at the same time. Poetry that is able to make you feel both sides of the spectrum of emotion is rare and treasured. I felt a kindredness to Sarah Thompson as she explored life and its complexities within this collection.

My favorite poem was “Herding Cats,” followed closely by “A Morning.”

This was a vivid collection both in terms of descriptive language and the emotional spectrum.

[Jellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, given that Sarah is my dear friend, I'm probably a little biased. Nonetheless, I'm sure that if I hadn't known her, I would have loved Murmurations just as much. The poems are thoughtful, spiritual, and relatable. When I feel overwhelmed, I like to watch these zoom out videos of the known universe - it reminds me of being made of stardust, and in the face of this endless miracle that we are a part of, whatever's bothering me doesn't seem quite as insurmountable. Murmurations has a similar effect on me. The poems transport you to nature and a deeper state of being. They make you think about life, the universe and your place within them. Some of them make you snort with laughter. Sarah's work has always reminded me of Mary Oliver, though she has her own, distinct style. It's rare for poetry to be both so insightful and accessible. This is one of those gems that you will return to time and again, whenever you need to disconnect from daily life and be reminded of the bigger picture, or simply for some comfort.

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this book only has 75 pages with 52 poems and I wanted to stretch the reading to fully enjoy them. For that reason it took me almost the entire month to read this book. Absolutely not because it was bad. After a few poems I had to 'force' myself to put the book down so that I could postpone the inevitable end.

This book will remain on my bedside table, because I will definitely reread it regularly. Firstly, because I think that some poems have multiple layers, you only get after a couple of times, but especially because there is a lot I recognise in the topics and I really enjoy the experience that I am not the only one coping with things like that.

Sarah Thomspon has a light-hearted writing style, with which she knows how to address profound topics. Grasping for the deepest soul stirrings with a touch of lightness makes her a good writer!
This is therefore my book of the month, even though I normally don't read poetry, because normally I find it too wooly and abstract and I don't understand the meaning or the essence of a poem.

I really enjoyed this collection and I experienced all kinds of emotions whilst reading; I was moved, I shed a tear and I laughed out loud.

Take a walk through the woods with Sarah and be surprised by her view on the functioning of body and mind. There are five sections: forest, body, mind, love, universe, each with its own style. So there is a lot of variety and I can definitely recommend that you go to a lecture if you get the chance to see Sarah perform. It's phenomenal! She is supported by a harp player and has a hell of a delivery voice. In this case, it's not just reading a poem out loud; Sarah drags you into the story with words, body language, gestures and movements. During the lecture I attended, a room full of people were watching breathlessly, laughing and I felt so moved that I had goosebumps all over.
You can find video's on Sarah's YouTube channel and social media.

Truly an author to keep an eye on!

DUTCH:

Dit boek telt helaas slechts 75 pagina’s met 52 gedichten en die wilde ik graag verspreid lezen, om er optimaal van te genieten. Over dit boek heb ik daarom heel lang gedaan (bijna de hele maand mei). Absoluut niet omdat het slecht was, zeker niet zelfs. Ik moest mezelf na een paar gedichten telkens 'dwingen' om het weg te leggen, zodat ik er langer van kon genieten.

Dit boek blijft op mijn nachtkastje liggen, want ik ga hierin zeker regelmatig herlezen. Ten eerste omdat ik denk dat je bij sommige gedichten de diepere laag pas meekrijgt na een paar keer, maar vooral ook omdat er veel herkenbaarheid voor mij schuilt in de onderwerpen die aan bod komen en ik het erg fijn vind om te ervaren dat ik er niet alleen in sta.

Sarah Thomspon heeft een luchtige schrijfstijl, waarmee ze diepgaande onderwerpen weet aan te spreken. De diepste zielenroerselen met een vleug humor verpakken, dan ben je een goede schrijver hoor! Chapeau. Dit is dus direct mijn boek van de maand en dat terwijl ik normaal geen poëzie lees. Vaak vind ik het te bloemig en te abstract en snap ik er niks van.

Van deze bundel genoot ik echt en er kwamen allerlei emoties in me op; ik was geroerd, ik heb een traantje weggepinkt en ik moest hardop lachen.

Maak samen met Sarah een wandeling door het bos, laat je verrassen door haar kijk op de werking van lichaam en geest. Er zijn vijf secties: forest, body, mind, love & universe met elk een eigen stijl. Zeer veel afwisseling dus en ik kan je aanraden om absoluut naar een voordracht van Sarah te gaan als je daar de kans voor krijgt, want haar performance is fenomenaal! Ze wordt ondersteund door een harpspeler en heeft een dijk van een voordraagstem. Het gaat bij haar veel verder dan het hardop voorlezen van een gedicht. Ze trekt je met woord en lichaamstaal, gebaren en bewegingen het verhaal in. Tijdens de lezing waar ik bij was zaten we met een zaal vol ademloos toe te kijken, te lachen en voelde ik me zo ontroerd dat het kippenvel op mijn armen stond.
Op het YouTube kanaal en Sarah's social media kan je wel voorbeelden vinden.

Echt een auteur om in de gaten te houden!

[Sonja Charters · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so often don't make time to read much poetry and every time I do grab a short collection, I find myself wondering why I don't read more!
Having said that, it's quite rare to find a collection that really speaks to you or that you can fully relate to.

This collection is split up into five different sections which include some personal and moving poetry.
The poems range in style and content and I loved seeing the different formats of structured poems and prose.

I really enjoyed all the poetry here - but the ones that I related to the most were from the Body, Mind and Love sections.

- A quiet day - which included lots of things that I also love to do on a day at home relaxing
- Swimming - was a lovely poem that although short, perfectly described how it feels when you get stuck inside your own mind
- I wish - I could be a cat - I mean absolutely! Who wouldn't! And I love cats!
- I Still Get Angry - yes!! I totally related to this as I am still so sensitive about things that happened many years ago - and often wonder why!?
- She Said, He Said - this poem actually had me chuckling! This is so me and my husband! I talk so much ....and he says nothing 🙄
- Worth - was really moving and is a poem that I'd like to gift to all my fellow strugglers - as well as my daughter/children! Very on point and poignant!
- Love - this tiny poem which includes the definition of love in terms of how you move when a cat is on your lap! Yes!

There is so much included in this short collection and I'm absolutely certain that there will be something that captures everyone in one way or another.

A super quick read and one that I'd love to dip into every so often to calm my brain whenever I'm struggling or if I feel the need for a different read.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful. Poignant. Thought provoking. Evocative.
These are the words that popped into my head when reading these poems.

I found that some of them I just had to sit with for a while and digest. They really spoke to me on deep and meaningful level. "I go to the Sea" in particular resonated with me. The sea is my "happy place" and I always find that being there sooths my soul.

I also liked that some of the poems really celebrated womanhood, "Radicalised" really summed up the mixed messages women so often get throughout their lives.

Finally, "I still get angry" allowed me to feel the hurt and anger from long ago, reminded me that it's OK to still feel that, but also helped me to remember to reframe those feelings into something useful.

Those are just my thoughts on a few of the beautiful poems Sarah has written. I could write about them all, but actually I'll just recommend getting the book and reading them.

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those who like to get lost in the woods, for those who appreciate nature in its true form and how it makes them feel, Murmurations is a perfect translation of those feelings. But this collection of poetry is also a guide to follow when you want to escape your daily tribulations, a sacred place to bury your feet in the sand, and a true inspiration to follow your heart.

Sarah Thompson has a beautiful and awe-inspiring way with words. She doesn't shy away from the more difficult themes and she does so effortlessly, reminiscent, to me, of Emily Dickinson. A different style, perhaps, but very heartfelt and true to the core all the same. This book is the perfect companion on any day. Just make sure you take your time to savour every word.

[Padmajha [PJ] Me and My Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful collection of poems that talks about nature, body, mind, love, universe.
This anthology deals with varied emotions right from being sad to talking about bright and joyous things. Some of the poems are just a sentence long and some are a couple of pages. Each of these poems is expressive, with the author expertly conveying the emotions in each one.
Worth, Love, Sacred Places, and What If are some of my favorites from this book.
If you love poetry, do pick this up. Although it's a quick read, you'll find yourself deeply immersed in the beautiful, evocative words that resonate long after you've finished.

[Mystic KT · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not usually a fan of poetry collections however this one resonated with me due to the themes that the author approached. I liked the writing style of this and there was definitely some of the poems which spoke to me more than others and even had me reaching for the hankies as they affected me emotionally. This was a big part of why I enjoyed them so much was that Sarah Thompson was able to connect with me and I could relate them to situations that I have been in making them mean something more to me.

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so in love with poetry. I especially love collections of poems that I can identify with. Every other poem, it seems like, felt like it was about my life. I truly enjoyed how the poems felt like things you would just naturally say or rather "murmur". If you enjoy poetry collections, I definitely recommend this very honest and real book. You will not regret it.

[Nelli Lakatos · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 is a beautiful and enchanting debut poetry collection revolving around nature and human emotions.

I fell in love with Sarah’s writing, her use of words are phenomenal and beautiful. It was such a joy to read this book!

I highly recommend this gorgeous book to any poetry lover!