Something On the Inside: A Poetry Collection

by Karen Talley

Something On the Inside is a poetry collection written during the author's journey from adolescence to adulthood. Through lighthearted verses and profound reflections, these poems encourage readers to explore their own experiences with love, self-awareness, social consciousness and faith.

Genres: Poetry

129 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 4, 2025

Reviews

[Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something on the Inside is a collection of poems I highly recommend, written by Karen Talley between the ages of 14 and 40. Her poems are about love, life, and faith. Karen's poems are very accessible. My favorite poems in this collection were: "Trifling", "In The Dark", "Crossroads", "Poetry Ho", "Destination", and "Road".

See my interview with Karen during her Virtual Release Party here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNRn8...

[Classy Storygraph mgr_classy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where do I begin? Something on the Inside rekindled my love for poetry. Each poem stirred a deep well of emotion—love, longing, grief, spirituality, and beyond. I was so moved that I found myself bookmarking numerous pieces just to return to them again and again.

Some of favorites include:
Now That's Love
Spend the Night
A Little While
In the Dark
Following My Heart
Poetry Ho
Black Man
When I See Myself

[Kathryn Gunter Wiater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even if the author weren’t a dear friend of mine, I would still say that these poems show her vulnerability, strength, and deep faith, and they touched me. Beautiful.

[Shahara’Tova · Rating 4 out of 5]

A deeply moving collection of poems that explore love, life, and faith, Karen Talley’s work speaks to the soul. Something on The Inside is an accessible read, that tugs at the heart strings, makes you laugh, and reminds you of God’s grace. I loved it!

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful collection of poems that center on love, relationships, and faith.

[Sherie Carnegie · Rating 4 out of 5]

You did your thing, Ms Kay! So happy that you finally birthed this book into the world and fulfilled a lifelong dream. We needed this book- 119 pages of raw thoughts and emotions on love and spirituality. My favorites include: Impasse, Love, Black Man, and Prayer. It was good to see how your perspective evolved over the decades to combine into this masterpiece. And I absolutely love the cover! Its giving Gill Scott vibes :) Cant wait to see what you write next.

[Robyn E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite ones:
The Old Lady Sat On Her Porch.
Recipe
In The Dark
Rise Up, My Brothers! Rise!

~And every poem in Part 3~💕

[J. Robinson-Readersgottoread · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated this collection. I did not want to rush through this long-awaited publication, so I read it over a period of time. I have heard Talley talk about the formation of this collection (IG and YouTube) and it helps me understand the divisions even more. Whether you are nodding your head at a lovelorn teen’s confusion, looking in the mirror and listing what you love, or lifting your faith and voice with worship songs, I believe everyone will find a line or stanza or two or more, that speaks to something in their life. I found an abundance.

Just a few of my favorites are:
Simple Poet
Good Man
I’ll Be Free
Recipe (1986)
Time
Destination
Who I Am