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A Little Bit of Everything
Poetry
ebook
First published September 29, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 14, 2014
This entertaining collection of 50 accessible and involving poems is extremely well-named. Written during a 20 year timespan, the poems reflect the changing life experiences and world view of the author. Some are serious; some are short, others are neither. There truly is a little bit of everything in here.
Perhaps my favourite ones are the more whimsical flights of fantasy like ‘The Heavens’, ‘Unicorn’, or the more ominously chilling ‘Pale in the Dark’. But just as these capture fleeting sensations of the fabulous, so the author is equally adept at depicting moments of quite contentment during the daily grind, of dragging something significant from the humdrum blur of every day existence.
None of these verses is astonishingly long, nor so challenging that you’ll lose the sense of the narrative or meaning. Some are just plain fun, like ‘Bubble’: the notion of serenely watching the madness of the world pass by, insulated in a protected environment. Others are witty and droll, like ‘B4 11’ which challenges our unthinking acceptance of commonplace sayings. And the final line of ‘Dilapidated Daffodil’ just made me laugh out loud.
There’s much in here about motherhood and romantic love, while suggestions of melancholy are rather more muted but just as poignant. You’ll also find the occasional political statement – as in ‘Listen’ – but these are gently delivered, more a suggestion if you have ears to hear than a rant which rubs a certain viewpoint in your face.
If there’s a flaw to the writing then it’s the author’s fondness for using a couple of devices rather too often – particularly repetition of a single line. This is powerful the first couple of times you encounter it but that impact fades with use. ‘Leaving Home’ was maybe a little clumsy in its delivery, too: ambitious in its aim to distil the essence of the holocaust into a child’s distress but not entirely successful.
The majority of the poems hit their targets squarely, however: like ‘The Back Seat of Life’ which pretty much sums up the trepidation everyone must experience at some point, in seizing the future in their own hands.
The author adds notes here and there to advise the reader to ‘hear’ certain verses in a Scottish or West Country accent, which is fun. And although there are definitely dark moments of the soul bared within this collection, the overall impression is of lightness, of optimism, of love and of hope.
It’s an uplifting and thought-provoking anthology to dip in to. So although I’m not normally a great fan of poetry, reading ‘A Little Bit Of Everything’ was an extremely enjoyable experience.
8/10
Perhaps my favourite ones are the more whimsical flights of fantasy like ‘The Heavens’, ‘Unicorn’, or the more ominously chilling ‘Pale in the Dark’. But just as these capture fleeting sensations of the fabulous, so the author is equally adept at depicting moments of quite contentment during the daily grind, of dragging something significant from the humdrum blur of every day existence.
None of these verses is astonishingly long, nor so challenging that you’ll lose the sense of the narrative or meaning. Some are just plain fun, like ‘Bubble’: the notion of serenely watching the madness of the world pass by, insulated in a protected environment. Others are witty and droll, like ‘B4 11’ which challenges our unthinking acceptance of commonplace sayings. And the final line of ‘Dilapidated Daffodil’ just made me laugh out loud.
There’s much in here about motherhood and romantic love, while suggestions of melancholy are rather more muted but just as poignant. You’ll also find the occasional political statement – as in ‘Listen’ – but these are gently delivered, more a suggestion if you have ears to hear than a rant which rubs a certain viewpoint in your face.
If there’s a flaw to the writing then it’s the author’s fondness for using a couple of devices rather too often – particularly repetition of a single line. This is powerful the first couple of times you encounter it but that impact fades with use. ‘Leaving Home’ was maybe a little clumsy in its delivery, too: ambitious in its aim to distil the essence of the holocaust into a child’s distress but not entirely successful.
The majority of the poems hit their targets squarely, however: like ‘The Back Seat of Life’ which pretty much sums up the trepidation everyone must experience at some point, in seizing the future in their own hands.
The author adds notes here and there to advise the reader to ‘hear’ certain verses in a Scottish or West Country accent, which is fun. And although there are definitely dark moments of the soul bared within this collection, the overall impression is of lightness, of optimism, of love and of hope.
It’s an uplifting and thought-provoking anthology to dip in to. So although I’m not normally a great fan of poetry, reading ‘A Little Bit Of Everything’ was an extremely enjoyable experience.
8/10
April 12, 2021
A little goes a long way.
Poetry is reading matter to dip into, finding words to suit your mood, or to alter it. You don't have to read a book of poetry from front to back but I did, five times I did before I felt ready. Dipping a toe into poetry is one thing, full immersion another. A little bit of everything, it says on the cover, and there is definitely something here for everyone. The sea, her boys, loneliness, fear of change, genocide, humour, art, the undead, pain, love, emotions, even a bit of Scottish and Cornish thrown in for good measure.
Prose is easy both to read and write. For me, poetry is hard because it often mines deep into emotional layers so far below the surface, carving out galleries in the dark, in all directions, into places where disorientation rules, not always OK. There are dark corners here, places where the Davy lamp falters, there are dips and turns, potential traps where treacherous foggy gases lurk. There are closed-in ceilings with sharp jagged edges close up and personal but also huge open and lit galleries to relieve suffocation with joy. Poems tell stories but are they allegories, deeper than deep? Does it really matter what they are when they probe and question?
Poetry arouses deeper feelings and emotions while prose is somehow detached, linear, even where there are layers, they are shallow, like open cast mining, the sun and blue skies ever present, you can pack up when it is dark. Going deep, it is always dark, our imaginations exercised.
I have favourites from Helen's book already, but these will change over time no doubt as different moods take hold: Together we stand, Pale in the dark, You to me, Leaving home, are the ones I love at the moment. Yes, a little bit of everything, that leaves a little behind every time you read.
Poetry is reading matter to dip into, finding words to suit your mood, or to alter it. You don't have to read a book of poetry from front to back but I did, five times I did before I felt ready. Dipping a toe into poetry is one thing, full immersion another. A little bit of everything, it says on the cover, and there is definitely something here for everyone. The sea, her boys, loneliness, fear of change, genocide, humour, art, the undead, pain, love, emotions, even a bit of Scottish and Cornish thrown in for good measure.
Prose is easy both to read and write. For me, poetry is hard because it often mines deep into emotional layers so far below the surface, carving out galleries in the dark, in all directions, into places where disorientation rules, not always OK. There are dark corners here, places where the Davy lamp falters, there are dips and turns, potential traps where treacherous foggy gases lurk. There are closed-in ceilings with sharp jagged edges close up and personal but also huge open and lit galleries to relieve suffocation with joy. Poems tell stories but are they allegories, deeper than deep? Does it really matter what they are when they probe and question?
Poetry arouses deeper feelings and emotions while prose is somehow detached, linear, even where there are layers, they are shallow, like open cast mining, the sun and blue skies ever present, you can pack up when it is dark. Going deep, it is always dark, our imaginations exercised.
I have favourites from Helen's book already, but these will change over time no doubt as different moods take hold: Together we stand, Pale in the dark, You to me, Leaving home, are the ones I love at the moment. Yes, a little bit of everything, that leaves a little behind every time you read.
July 1, 2015
I only read poetry once every blue moon, the reason for this is there isn't a lot of good poetry out there nower-days. Well, look no further. A Little Bit Of Everything has a mixture of different poems, one to suit every mood.
I have quite a few new favourite poems from this book, most of them are love poems but there's one called 'Leaving Home' that I particularly love. It's from a child's perspective from the holocaust. It's wonderful to have a poem evoke such strong emotions from the reader, something so precious and innocent - a child doesn't even know what's wrong, they just think they've done something bad. You have to that poem, it's amazing.
'Apparition' is another poem I love. It's the very first one and I connected with it instantly. A love poem. For me it described exactly what I felt about this guy once, an amazing two days. I only saw him briefly for two days, nothing intimate happened, but there were feelings... then he's gone. Was it a dream? Was he real? What happened? Is the memory real? You're left with more questions than you know, but it must have been real because of how you remember feeling.
'Questionable' is another great poem. It's short and sweet, but so deep! It's a poem that really makes you think, if you buy the book it's a must read.
There are so many great poems in this book I couldn't possibly list them all without writing the contents page out again! So many of the poems really touched me, I was almost crying when I read some of them (like Leaving Home).
If you like poetry then this is the book for you. It's a very eclectic mix of poems, it'd make a perfect Mothers Day gift or birthday present.
For more of my reviews, please visit my book blog at: http://www.anovelstart.com
I have quite a few new favourite poems from this book, most of them are love poems but there's one called 'Leaving Home' that I particularly love. It's from a child's perspective from the holocaust. It's wonderful to have a poem evoke such strong emotions from the reader, something so precious and innocent - a child doesn't even know what's wrong, they just think they've done something bad. You have to that poem, it's amazing.
'Apparition' is another poem I love. It's the very first one and I connected with it instantly. A love poem. For me it described exactly what I felt about this guy once, an amazing two days. I only saw him briefly for two days, nothing intimate happened, but there were feelings... then he's gone. Was it a dream? Was he real? What happened? Is the memory real? You're left with more questions than you know, but it must have been real because of how you remember feeling.
'Questionable' is another great poem. It's short and sweet, but so deep! It's a poem that really makes you think, if you buy the book it's a must read.
There are so many great poems in this book I couldn't possibly list them all without writing the contents page out again! So many of the poems really touched me, I was almost crying when I read some of them (like Leaving Home).
If you like poetry then this is the book for you. It's a very eclectic mix of poems, it'd make a perfect Mothers Day gift or birthday present.
For more of my reviews, please visit my book blog at: http://www.anovelstart.com
January 10, 2016
I'm not a great reader of poetry, so this little book was a welcome change to my regular reading. Personal favourites were One Alone Stood, B4 11, and The Burden You Bear.
If I had a criticism, it was that often I felt far more words were used than necessary. I'd have liked to streamline a lot of these poems a bit. But that is no doubt a matter of personal taste.
If I had a criticism, it was that often I felt far more words were used than necessary. I'd have liked to streamline a lot of these poems a bit. But that is no doubt a matter of personal taste.
February 6, 2016
This book of poetry by up and coming Author Helen Minazza has exactly what it says on the tin.
A little bit of everything for everybody. A bit of humour mixed with a dash of heartache and add a splash of imagination. And this collection is very accessible. A good little collection and I'm sure there is much more to come from Helen Minazza.
April 2, 2017
Poetry's a very personal taste I think. I did enjoy some of these more than others.
May 21, 2022
I'm still quite new to poetry but really enjoyed this! Finished in one sitting and they flowed really nicely. Would recommend
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews