What do you think?
Rate this book
2Fish: A Poetry Book
Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Jhene Aiko Efuru Chilombo has developed and refined a method of emoting through writing. 2Fish is a collection of intimate poems (and a few short stories) written by Chilombo from adolescence to adulthood, in no particular order. The book details Chilombo's thoughts in their most raw and honest form taken directly from a collection of notebooks she has kept since age 12.
132 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 19, 2017
About the author
Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo
2 books110 followersJhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo was born on March 16, 1988 in Los Angeles, California. Jhené began writing poetry at 6 years old. At 13, she signed to a major record label and began her career as a recording artist. Today, she is a mother of one, a three-time Grammy nominated singer/songwriter and a poet. 2Fish is Jhené’s first published book.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 261 reviews
January 20, 2018
I guess this wasn't really for me. But, I'm not going to pull any punches here. I found the writing juvenile and syrupy and full of contrived sentiment. I found it immature in longing for things that only make sense to you when you haven't ever had anything of substance in your life. And I found it dumb.
Now, in the interest of fairness, there was one "fish" that I did really like, the one about buying coats for the skeletons in your closet. That one worked. And it worked well. But it is too little for me to surmise that this poet has any real ability beyond the overly sweet, wafer thin feelings she spreads on the pages.
The rest of the poems? Meh. This book is like listening to a double album that has only one great song on it. At least it's short and won't take up the kind of time listening to a double album would take. So, it's got that going for it.
Your mileage may vary, and I can see how many readers would like the author's points of view. But they're not for me. I prefer a poem with a sharp, dirty, serrated edge that's going to hurt when it plunges into your heart. These were mostly plastic butter-knives. They bend when they hit your chest and barely leave a scratch.
One last note: when I read and reviewed this book, I didn't know that it was the work of a very young person. I just knew that there was a buzz around it and that people were talking about it in glowing terms and I had to find out why. It makes sense now. It reads exactly as what it is.
Now, in the interest of fairness, there was one "fish" that I did really like, the one about buying coats for the skeletons in your closet. That one worked. And it worked well. But it is too little for me to surmise that this poet has any real ability beyond the overly sweet, wafer thin feelings she spreads on the pages.
The rest of the poems? Meh. This book is like listening to a double album that has only one great song on it. At least it's short and won't take up the kind of time listening to a double album would take. So, it's got that going for it.
Your mileage may vary, and I can see how many readers would like the author's points of view. But they're not for me. I prefer a poem with a sharp, dirty, serrated edge that's going to hurt when it plunges into your heart. These were mostly plastic butter-knives. They bend when they hit your chest and barely leave a scratch.
One last note: when I read and reviewed this book, I didn't know that it was the work of a very young person. I just knew that there was a buzz around it and that people were talking about it in glowing terms and I had to find out why. It makes sense now. It reads exactly as what it is.
January 2, 2018
It took me a while to finish the book bc I really took my time and I actually read it twice because I wanted to really understand what she was saying. The way Jhené writes, 3 ppl could be reading the exact same thing but interpret it in 3 different ways. I love the complexity yet simplicity of it. She’s a collection of paradoxes. She is but she isn’t. She’s up but she’s down. She makes perfect sense and none at all. Jhene belongs to no one.
This book is all about...coping in my opinion. She’s dealt with the loss of her brother, her grandmother, and even herself. She’s very vulnerable in this book and I appreciate that. We definitely see another side to her. I especially love how she wrote a poem about my all time favorite rapper. I’m sure y’all can guess who.
If you’re new to poetry, most of her poems may go over your head. Don’t expect to understand what you read right away. Really think about what she’s saying and the context in which it’s being said.
I recommend everyone to read this book.💚
This book is all about...coping in my opinion. She’s dealt with the loss of her brother, her grandmother, and even herself. She’s very vulnerable in this book and I appreciate that. We definitely see another side to her. I especially love how she wrote a poem about my all time favorite rapper. I’m sure y’all can guess who.
If you’re new to poetry, most of her poems may go over your head. Don’t expect to understand what you read right away. Really think about what she’s saying and the context in which it’s being said.
I recommend everyone to read this book.💚
September 10, 2019
"i shouted to the stars
but there were no answers
i called out to God
you were there"
i always knew of jhené aiko but once i found out she wrote poetry and was releasing a book things changed. i respected her. i adored her. and as expected i adore this book. i think you have to be in a certain mindset when you read this book. i'm surrounded by blue this week and this book actually helped me navigate it. helped me breathe, if only for a little bit. helped me feel a little less alone. jhené's music and her book were here when i really needed them to be.
but there were no answers
i called out to God
you were there"
i always knew of jhené aiko but once i found out she wrote poetry and was releasing a book things changed. i respected her. i adored her. and as expected i adore this book. i think you have to be in a certain mindset when you read this book. i'm surrounded by blue this week and this book actually helped me navigate it. helped me breathe, if only for a little bit. helped me feel a little less alone. jhené's music and her book were here when i really needed them to be.
February 4, 2018
you every read something and have to take your time to understand it, and once you do, it seems like you have unlocked every hidden message?
in the beginning i was just like okay but then i started to hear
her cry for help. her heartbreak. she was losing so much of herself while also dealing with deaths.
she looked for answers through drugs. looks for answers through death but only coming close to meeting it. you try not to live but you wake up everyday and have no choice but to figure it out. (“never over dose, wakes up to war outside”. )
when she shares her heartbreak she does not share it in as a intimate relationship with a lover. she speaks of losing her brother and how hard it is to cope. you can read how fresh her pain is and how opioids was her drug of release. a release that was not real. it caused more pain. an addiction that drowned her in sorrow and suicidal thoughts.
as a fan, her music has always moved me but this poetry book and her latest album together really are a TRIP. we are all suffering and wanting to be heard. we just have to find a way to ask for it.
in the beginning i was just like okay but then i started to hear
her cry for help. her heartbreak. she was losing so much of herself while also dealing with deaths.
she looked for answers through drugs. looks for answers through death but only coming close to meeting it. you try not to live but you wake up everyday and have no choice but to figure it out. (“never over dose, wakes up to war outside”. )
when she shares her heartbreak she does not share it in as a intimate relationship with a lover. she speaks of losing her brother and how hard it is to cope. you can read how fresh her pain is and how opioids was her drug of release. a release that was not real. it caused more pain. an addiction that drowned her in sorrow and suicidal thoughts.
as a fan, her music has always moved me but this poetry book and her latest album together really are a TRIP. we are all suffering and wanting to be heard. we just have to find a way to ask for it.
May 29, 2020
A quick read. There were some great lines in here! I really enjoyed the poems rhyming, but the ones that look like they’re out of a note book were hard to read. The formatting looked off for some of them too.
January 8, 2022
As a Jhené Aiko fan I have always appreciated Jhené’s talent and her music since 2013. My rating: 4.5 ⭐️💫
My favorite poems were the short story she wrote inspired by Langston Hughes pg. 56 and some of her songs from her 2017 album “Trip” (New Balance and Oblivion) she has an exquisite and stunning way with words…she talks about losing her brother, her insecurities with being too skinny, lost love, her culture being black/Japanese, and growing up in LA. I love everything about her energy.
Everything is titled 1fish, 2fish, etc. with each poem. Some of her passages are written in her own handwriting. It’s as if you’re diving into her Diary. That was a plus for me. Overall, this one is truly special!
Bonus: check out her short film on YouTube: Trip (the movie) that one never gets old for me. Highly recommend this book from the lovey Jhené “Penny” Aiko Chilombo. Love love love!!! I like to think she labeled her collection of poems “2Fish” because her zodiac sign is a Pisces 🐟
From her book:
3Fish
It was never love
It was not even close
It was closest
to hopeless
It was hell
at the most
It was mouths wide open
and minds that were closed
it was dead
it was over
chopped liver
burnt toast
🔥🍞
My favorite poems were the short story she wrote inspired by Langston Hughes pg. 56 and some of her songs from her 2017 album “Trip” (New Balance and Oblivion) she has an exquisite and stunning way with words…she talks about losing her brother, her insecurities with being too skinny, lost love, her culture being black/Japanese, and growing up in LA. I love everything about her energy.
Everything is titled 1fish, 2fish, etc. with each poem. Some of her passages are written in her own handwriting. It’s as if you’re diving into her Diary. That was a plus for me. Overall, this one is truly special!
Bonus: check out her short film on YouTube: Trip (the movie) that one never gets old for me. Highly recommend this book from the lovey Jhené “Penny” Aiko Chilombo. Love love love!!! I like to think she labeled her collection of poems “2Fish” because her zodiac sign is a Pisces 🐟
From her book:
3Fish
It was never love
It was not even close
It was closest
to hopeless
It was hell
at the most
It was mouths wide open
and minds that were closed
it was dead
it was over
chopped liver
burnt toast
🔥🍞
December 21, 2017
I am a big fan of Jhene Aiko and after reading this poetry book, I was able to have a glimpse of what she went through in life. I was able to implement her poetry to my life experiences as well. A very short book, but well worth a read for those who enjoy poetry about love, loss, motherhood, and life.
March 22, 2020
This was nice to read but I guess that’s it? It’s a nice short poetry book to read and really fast to read, but maybe it wasn’t for me, though.
“do you know what really sucks?
when you swallow a pill
and that pill gets stuck
and you wait for the feels
but the feels won’t come
cuz the pain
of the pill
in your throat
makes it numb
focused on the pain
you miss the whole high
you forget the whole feeling
of wanting to die
cuz now you’re like
“please, pill! please pass by!”
and you sob and you cry
then it all gets worse…
now you’re high
and you’re crying
and your throat really hurts”
“two fish
different directions
one is accepting
one is rejecting
one is a curse
the other’s a blessing
while one is the worst
the other’s the best thing
and there is no resting
between the two
it’s either
it’s or
but she’ll never choose
hopeful and bruised
sure, but confused
one fish
with a wish
split into two”
“do you know what really sucks?
when you swallow a pill
and that pill gets stuck
and you wait for the feels
but the feels won’t come
cuz the pain
of the pill
in your throat
makes it numb
focused on the pain
you miss the whole high
you forget the whole feeling
of wanting to die
cuz now you’re like
“please, pill! please pass by!”
and you sob and you cry
then it all gets worse…
now you’re high
and you’re crying
and your throat really hurts”
“two fish
different directions
one is accepting
one is rejecting
one is a curse
the other’s a blessing
while one is the worst
the other’s the best thing
and there is no resting
between the two
it’s either
it’s or
but she’ll never choose
hopeful and bruised
sure, but confused
one fish
with a wish
split into two”
May 16, 2018
This was overall a nice poetry collection. The illustrations were very nicely done; this little book has a lot of heart.
The style of many of these poems are, like other reviews have pointed out, more like song lyrics than poetry. These poems sometimes seemed "unfinished".
I felt like some of the writing had clichés, and made the poetry seem like beginner-level-needs-editing work. However, it was still so heartfelt and honest that the positives outweighed the negatives.
I guess it must have been a sizing mistake, but much of the handwritten parts shown were zoomed in too close, and words were cut off.
I feel like the poems about the writer's brother dying, and the grief that ensued, will stay with me in particular. I understand Jhené Cholombo when she writes about how the bond between siblings can never be matched by any other relationship. I also admire her passion for perseverance. No matter how bad it may seem, you will see the sunlight.
Main themes/subjects include: love, relationships, body image, family, grief, depression, drug use.
The style of many of these poems are, like other reviews have pointed out, more like song lyrics than poetry. These poems sometimes seemed "unfinished".
I felt like some of the writing had clichés, and made the poetry seem like beginner-level-needs-editing work. However, it was still so heartfelt and honest that the positives outweighed the negatives.
I guess it must have been a sizing mistake, but much of the handwritten parts shown were zoomed in too close, and words were cut off.
I feel like the poems about the writer's brother dying, and the grief that ensued, will stay with me in particular. I understand Jhené Cholombo when she writes about how the bond between siblings can never be matched by any other relationship. I also admire her passion for perseverance. No matter how bad it may seem, you will see the sunlight.
Main themes/subjects include: love, relationships, body image, family, grief, depression, drug use.
March 14, 2018
Simply haunting and beautiful.
So full of emotion and pain.
Lovely.
So full of emotion and pain.
Lovely.
March 22, 2024
1.5 ⭐️
I love Jhené and I love the idea of including poems from when she was a child but it seems like her poetry hasn‘t progressed much since she was young…
I only really enjoyed a handful of poems, if that, and thought most rhymes were a bit silly. Some of the handwritten poems were really difficult to read as well.
I love Jhené and I love the idea of including poems from when she was a child but it seems like her poetry hasn‘t progressed much since she was young…
I only really enjoyed a handful of poems, if that, and thought most rhymes were a bit silly. Some of the handwritten poems were really difficult to read as well.
January 8, 2018
I‘m probably very, very biased but I love Jhené with all my heart and soul. Words cannot explain how much her music and she as a person mean to me.
2fish definitely made me cried twice, I‘m not gonna lie. Jhené has this incredible talent of expressing herself through her words, lyrics, poems. I’m in awe, honestly.
I might have to re-read this book a few more times to understand what she‘s really trying to say to us.
Other than that, I hope to see more poetry books of hers in the future.
**TW for addiction, drug abuse, death**
2fish definitely made me cried twice, I‘m not gonna lie. Jhené has this incredible talent of expressing herself through her words, lyrics, poems. I’m in awe, honestly.
I might have to re-read this book a few more times to understand what she‘s really trying to say to us.
Other than that, I hope to see more poetry books of hers in the future.
**TW for addiction, drug abuse, death**
February 16, 2018
Feb 1, 2017
I am afraid I am not good enough
to deserve anything great
I can not stop comparing
Im afraid I will never get it right
Im afraid I will give up before my time
I am afraid I am losing myself to my addictions
I am afraid
I am addicted to everything
I need so much attention
but also, so much space
I am afraid that I will push everyone away
So far best poetry book I've read in 2018
I am afraid I am not good enough
to deserve anything great
I can not stop comparing
Im afraid I will never get it right
Im afraid I will give up before my time
I am afraid I am losing myself to my addictions
I am afraid
I am addicted to everything
I need so much attention
but also, so much space
I am afraid that I will push everyone away
So far best poetry book I've read in 2018
January 19, 2020
"there was no captain
but you were my anchor"
In all honesty, I was debating if I should DNF it or not, but I read the poem '23fish' and it motivated me to keep on reading and give this collection a chance.
Unfortunately this wasn't for me, and the only reason why I gave it 2 instead of 1 star was simply because of certain lines/verses through it all (which are quite a few), along with the '23fish'. I found it rather boring and tiring - I truly thought that I was going to enjoy this more.
but you were my anchor"
In all honesty, I was debating if I should DNF it or not, but I read the poem '23fish' and it motivated me to keep on reading and give this collection a chance.
Unfortunately this wasn't for me, and the only reason why I gave it 2 instead of 1 star was simply because of certain lines/verses through it all (which are quite a few), along with the '23fish'. I found it rather boring and tiring - I truly thought that I was going to enjoy this more.
April 29, 2020
3.5
an inside look.
*64Fish
i once told a stranger i met
“the more that you know me,
the more you’ll forget.
the closer we grow,
the stranger i get”
he doesn’t get it quite yet*
an inside look.
*64Fish
i once told a stranger i met
“the more that you know me,
the more you’ll forget.
the closer we grow,
the stranger i get”
he doesn’t get it quite yet*
December 31, 2023
What a beautiful, inspiring book.
January 16, 2024
This is the type of poetry you see on instagram… insightful for young pre teens and teens
October 1, 2026
5 stars but only bc i love jhene aiko and everything she creates 😭
March 5, 2018
I have been a huge fan of Jhene Aiko’s since for years, and years, and when I first saw 2Fish in stores, I knew that I had to pick it up. The collection of short stories and poetry were so personal to their author and honestly changed the way that I view an artist who I’ve respected, and looked up to, since I was young. Everything about 2Fish was intimate, beautiful, and raw. This was a book that made me emotional. It was fantastic.
The content in 2Fish looks at Jhene’s experiences with substance abuse, the loss of her brother, her past romances, and past experiences in her life. There are a lot of hand-written notes in the poetry book of familiar lyrics that she’s written—and anyone who listens to her music would quickly recognize them, including references to songs from her latest album Trip. I found that 2Fish was so well-thought out and honest. It was absolutely, stunningly beautiful.
Jhene’s talent with words are evident throughout 2Fish. There were so many poems that ripped out my heart, and made me so emotional. Her writing was beyond relatable, especially when it came to the poems she wrote about her late-brother. The way she describes the relationship between she and her brother perfectly describes the relationships, and emotions, shared between siblings. The poem ‘43Fish’ brought me to tears (after reading it I was crying until I was finished the book). There is just so much emotional depth to 2Fish that help to make it such a worthwhile reading experience.
I would recommend 2Fish to readers who are fans of Jhene’s music. To any readers who are looking for a heartfelt and emotional poetry book, this is the read for you. To any readers who want a poetry book that is raw and real, you won’t want to put this one down.
The content in 2Fish looks at Jhene’s experiences with substance abuse, the loss of her brother, her past romances, and past experiences in her life. There are a lot of hand-written notes in the poetry book of familiar lyrics that she’s written—and anyone who listens to her music would quickly recognize them, including references to songs from her latest album Trip. I found that 2Fish was so well-thought out and honest. It was absolutely, stunningly beautiful.
Jhene’s talent with words are evident throughout 2Fish. There were so many poems that ripped out my heart, and made me so emotional. Her writing was beyond relatable, especially when it came to the poems she wrote about her late-brother. The way she describes the relationship between she and her brother perfectly describes the relationships, and emotions, shared between siblings. The poem ‘43Fish’ brought me to tears (after reading it I was crying until I was finished the book). There is just so much emotional depth to 2Fish that help to make it such a worthwhile reading experience.
I would recommend 2Fish to readers who are fans of Jhene’s music. To any readers who are looking for a heartfelt and emotional poetry book, this is the read for you. To any readers who want a poetry book that is raw and real, you won’t want to put this one down.
April 5, 2018
Read this as soon as I got it (late on my review). To be honest, I read this...loved it...read it over again...still loved it. Gave it to my teenage daughter to read because she is the biggest Jhene Aiko fan and she loved it. The beauty of this poetry collection...is that it is not just a book of poetry. It's like a journal...a personal journal and I love that style when it comes to poetry books. It's just so special to open a book of poetry and find much more than lines of words. Poetry books are often scarce in content...a few pages...minimal use of the entire page. Poetry books are often to the point.....just poetry. But this book and it's style had more. I loved the snippets of entries. I loved the little doodles and sketches. If you know her music you'll learn that it's very much in that style...she has a way with flow, a way with describing things poetically but not over done. You can read something that seems like it could be easily written by yourself because it's that to the point....and then you read further and can clearly understand why she is the grammy nominated songwriter. Just beautiful...I wish it was over 1,000 pages.
Thanks as always to the wonderful people of goodreads, Jhen Aiko Efuro Chilombo, and to Ulysses Press for my free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review to which I gladly and voluntarily gave.
Thanks as always to the wonderful people of goodreads, Jhen Aiko Efuro Chilombo, and to Ulysses Press for my free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review to which I gladly and voluntarily gave.
September 7, 2019
I always admire people for being able to tell their story and share their art, especially from a young age. There is no doubt in my mind that Jhené has both talent in her music and strength in what she has been through. She is someone to look up to.
I've never heard of her music, but I've heard of her name and I've seen this book before, so I decided to check it out. I like poetry. I got to be honest, this was not some of Jhené's best work at all. I found the collection mind-numbling, cliché, and just not my cup of tea. It read like hip-hop, and maybe would have been better suited as a song than music. Her writing was often basic, simplistic, lacking any detail that poetry usually has. I struggled to get through it. Some of the writing did come close to what I would consider good, and the subject matters being portrayed were important and close to Jhené, but there was no time, while reading this book, that I enjoyed it. I thought that it would be better if some of the journal entries were transcribed, I couldn't make out what Jhené was writing. I think that I understand why this book fell short, many of these poems were written when she was younger, and to display them with what she has built now, shows how much she has grown, but still how bad her writing was.
The format was kinda cool in all respects, and the cover.
I've never heard of her music, but I've heard of her name and I've seen this book before, so I decided to check it out. I like poetry. I got to be honest, this was not some of Jhené's best work at all. I found the collection mind-numbling, cliché, and just not my cup of tea. It read like hip-hop, and maybe would have been better suited as a song than music. Her writing was often basic, simplistic, lacking any detail that poetry usually has. I struggled to get through it. Some of the writing did come close to what I would consider good, and the subject matters being portrayed were important and close to Jhené, but there was no time, while reading this book, that I enjoyed it. I thought that it would be better if some of the journal entries were transcribed, I couldn't make out what Jhené was writing. I think that I understand why this book fell short, many of these poems were written when she was younger, and to display them with what she has built now, shows how much she has grown, but still how bad her writing was.
The format was kinda cool in all respects, and the cover.
February 28, 2018
jhené aiko is one of my favorite artists of all time. her voice is therapeutic, as well as her lyrics. the way she puts so much of her soul into each of her songs has resonated with me for the past few years. some of her songs remind me of old friends, past relationships, good experiences, bad... when i heard she was going to organize her poems into a book, part of her M.A.P., i was so excited and i knew i had to read it. i was gifted this book from a friend for christmas and i could've read it all in a single day, but i took my time instead. i feel like she just really puts herself out there in everything she does. i learn more about her with every song and every poem and every video. i relate to her so much even though we have totally different experiences. this poetry book was really nice, and i hope she continues to publish more of her poems and stories.
May 3, 2018
Ive been a Jhené Aiko fan since the beginning of time and now that I have read this book I love her even more. 100% this book was filled with paradoxes and I loved every bit of it. As women growing from a child into an adult we go through a lot of changes and the list of those changes could go on forever. Reading this book I seen a lot of myself in Jhené and I couldn't ever be more grateful that she wrote this. Ones with a certain level of understanding or overstanding will appreciate the lovely paradoxes written in this book. So, thank you Ms. Jhené your music and soul are appreciated. 💖
December 30, 2017
Incredible Depth
This collection has her soul and her mind woven in between the words. 69Fish made me cry - such innocence and depth. I appreciate the ways she shared the moments that shaped her. It made my mind remember the things I do and the moments I share with my children can weigh heavy. First collection with SO many bookmarks. Read it people!! I patiently wait for more.
This collection has her soul and her mind woven in between the words. 69Fish made me cry - such innocence and depth. I appreciate the ways she shared the moments that shaped her. It made my mind remember the things I do and the moments I share with my children can weigh heavy. First collection with SO many bookmarks. Read it people!! I patiently wait for more.
February 19, 2018
Wow! This book was amazing, from the first page to the last page. After reading this I learned so much about Jhene Aiko; from losing her brother to using drugs. Even though I cannot connect with her specific life struggles, I was able to connect with her poetry in other ways.
Everyone should read this book!
Everyone should read this book!
March 19, 2018
Creative Chaos, I honestly loved this. If you are a fan of Jhene's and know some of her story this poetry book makes perfect sense. This book was her in raw form. This is about love, loss, and silver linings. Its about true chaos that some of us go through. She is definitely a writer that keeps on writing. It was very her.
January 18, 2018
It's not bad for what it is. Not great poetry, but for just up and publishing one's old middle school poetry books, it ain't bad. Reading as recommended by a student. I was expecting more rupi kaur than this rhymy stuff. It's okay, though. Like I said, for what it is, it's aight.
March 31, 2018
I bought this book because I fell in love with the rhythm of the Chilombo's writing. It only took me three pages to know I wanted to read more and re-read more. It made me want to write; and if that isn't a book worth reading then I don't know what is.
Read
August 1, 20192Fish was a great book. This book has great illustrations. I was intrigued and wanted to keep flipping pages to find out what the journey would lead me to. I also like the style that the book was composed of ( her journal and thought format ).
March 1, 2021
This was the first book that got me into poetry!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 261 reviews