Open Wounds

by Kori Jane Spaulding

Genres: Poetry

119 pages, Paperback

Published May 27, 2024

Reviews

[molly · Rating 1 out of 5]

it just feels like a 2014 tumblr post

[Haley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hit or miss with many poems. Some are just too surface level for me. The cluster of religious poems at the end were a jump scare 😂

[Ellie Mae (S.E Hintons version) · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️3.5⭐️
The poems that hit, hit hard the poems that misssed missed hard

[ali kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

i read this book before i read ‘books close’ and i think it was a better experience because it kind of showed how healing works. this one, there was a healing stage while books close was mostly grief with love. does that make sense?

[Geli S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wunderschöner Gedichtband ❤️
Eins meiner Favoriten:

Strong Woman

they call me a strong woman
they call it a gift
I walk through the door
and people turn to hear me speak
but I desperately wish
I did not suck up so much air
to comfortably breath
I want to be small
I want to fit into the hands of those I love
instead of carrying their bodies on my back
I want to be soft not severe
I am not fragile enough
to be worthy of handling with care
don’t call me a strong woman
for the stronger I seem
the weaker I feel

I clothed myself
in overabundant serenity
for fear of being seen
as something they could hurt
I used to hang up my armor before bed
let my skin breathe when no one was around
but it won’t come off anymore
up all night poked and prodded
trapped underneath expectations
thrown on someone strong enough to take it
I’m longing for someone to break it
someone who sees me as worthy
of handling with care
a soft woman needing repair
after confusing the word strength
with the word despair

[Mariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

i’m not sure how to feel about this. maybe 2.5 stars?

i love her writing. but my issue with it is the mix with god and devil. i didn’t expect to see any of that so it leaves me with a mix of feelings.

[Luc · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ☆

[Tilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always and garden were two of my favorites.

[Taylor Rebmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Open Wounds" by Kori Jane Spaulding is a poignant collection of poetry that delves into the themes of pain, healing, and transformation. Spaulding’s evocative verses explore the depths of love, loss, trauma, and recovery, capturing the raw emotions and resilience of the human spirit. With vivid imagery and honest reflections, this collection takes readers on a journey from the depths of despair to the light of hope and renewal. Each poem serves as a testament to the power of vulnerability and the beauty found in the process of healing. "Open Wounds" is a moving and relatable exploration of the complexities of the human experience. This and her previous book have resonated with me so deeply. I am so thankful I found her!

[Khalid Alqassimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kori Jane's first collection was nice to read through, but this one took it to a whole other level. From questions about upbringing, self-image, and self-worth to God and artistry, she has taken her writing with this publication to a level where I can say I did love going through it.

"...
when you stab me in the back
TWIST THE BLADE
let me scream in pain
with you behind me
as to not remember
how beautiful you looked
standing in front of me"

"...
For although you make me tear,
you still do not make me scared. I have you figured out.
Since I never gave you a place to live under my bed, you moved in with all the demons in my head."

[J's Reading Journal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughts: I’ve been following the author on Instagram for quite a while – last year I thought it might be a good idea to just buy her books because I’ve been loving all her posts. Overall, it was a pretty good book. I rated it a 3.5 because while I did love some of the poems, there were quite a few that didn’t resonate with me.

[Sam Donoghue · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many incredible poems some of my favorite are toward the back. The one about Jesus being carpenter and his last thought as he made the being sacrifice for us out of love. It always make get to me a weight that hit never even though of. It incredible to read thought what this author wrote.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart wrenching & beautiful

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite poetry book thus far. Kori never disappoints.

[Cass Sutera · Rating 5 out of 5]

My fiancée and I both loved this collection so many pieces hit home and were written beautifully. Kori’s style is similiar to my own and I feel like I could relate to the themes well

[Emy Neltner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good poetry book and she is definitely one of my favorites!

[Ellen Harvey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it until the religious stuff arrived

[MaeMae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wounds were opened

[laura_reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some great poems, but most were a bit too superficial. I really loved the images.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

She sees me

[Daniella · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hit or miss lowkey

[♡︎ e l i s e ♡︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

~ 6 stars

my jaw dropped at almost every single poem

[Rayann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately this wasn’t for me😔
Although it was really short and easy to read,I couldn’t relate to it so much.

There were parts that hit deep and at the same time there were parts where I could care less about.
The main parts were about breakups and relationships which definitely isn’t for me.

And then the ending had things about Jesus,Adam and Eve which came out of no where and I basically skipped them.

[Nola · Rating 4 out of 5]

These poems were beautiful, and while not all of them made me feel as if I were floating, some of the words lifted off the page and resonated with me so much.

Highly recommend.

[TheeOwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This poetry strikes so deeply and personally. I only wish there were more Christian poetry.