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Lovely Seeds: A Walk Through the Garden of Our Becoming
R. H. Swaney brings a depolarizing voice to the poetry world with this debut collection. Amongst the topics of mental health, self-love, and social progress, readers will find a soft but powerful voice that uncovers the beauty that exists inside of all of us.
Examining life and its circle from seed to withering to regrowth, the thought-provoking nature of this collection will bring readers to a place of self-exploration, reflection, and a deeper understanding of their place in the world.
Examining life and its circle from seed to withering to regrowth, the thought-provoking nature of this collection will bring readers to a place of self-exploration, reflection, and a deeper understanding of their place in the world.
- GenresPoetryNonfictionEbooks
160 pages, Paperback
Published November 1, 2018
38 people are currently reading
298 people want to read
About the author
R.H. Swaney
3 books18 followersR. H. Swaney is a mixed-race poet from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. His early years were spent in a rural community, raised by his grandparents due to a complicated family history. Here is where his heart for humanity began to blossom as he navigated racial differences and small-town living. Writing since he was twelve, he eventually began performing spoken word music and composing poetry. Now, you can find him at his desk or favorite coffee shop writing and contemplating how his art can affect humanity in a positive, life-giving way.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
November 1, 2018
I find words written in the eyes of passersby. I collect them as I wander the sidewalks and arrange the pieces into poetry. If only I could give back to these strangers what they have given me, a reminder that we all are beautiful, despite the state of the times.
Last month I was browsing through Netgalley and I saw this gorgeous cover. I was in the mood for a poetry book, so I requested it and the publisher gently sent it to me. I knew it would be something autobiographical, and I was very interested into the idea behind this creation.
However.
Every human being has different emotions and different lives, a poet should express every shade of these emotions and lives. I’ve always thought that a poet is someone who can read the soul of people, and has the magic to translate the souls’ sound into words. Poetry, this is very important, must be musically pleasure. Every word should be chosen with million thoughts, to be the best word in the line. I’m usually a “classic poetry” lover, which means that I appreciate the effort of the poet to find the perfect word, the perfect sound, the perfect line. I appreciate ideas that can be shared with a different set of words every time the author wants: the poet has a lot of potential in his/her hands.
About this book...
I understand the autobiography content, but this isn’t a real poet collection. The works inside are prose, not poetry. I love the link between human life and nature: every scene is powerful and intriguing, a start to wonder. However, the “poems” became repetitive every page after the first ten. The author really has great ideas, but the execution seems flat and not-creative. Repetitive quotes have meanings in poetry, but in this book they seem boring and uninteresting, banalities, common places.
The book is divided into six sections:
Seed
Soil
Water
Growth
Bloom
Restore.
As you can see, the titles show that an important part of the general idea in author’s mind is the focus on plants and nature. A poem collection grows with words, passion and a plan. In this case, the plan is to play with human and nature life idioms. I really liked this choice.
Everything begins with a person, and this person must be in peace to bring peace in the world, to express the beauty that a soul can create. When this someone finds the love, everything seems to grow fast as a plant. But the relationship needs work, water, to continue to flourish.
I’m expressing my personal opinion about poetry; even if I’m not a great fan of modern poetry sometimes I can appreciate it. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. More than poems this works are essays, author’s thoughts about life and love. However, beautiful images cannot help me to think differently: a poem should be music. I didn’t find music in this book. Even if I appreciate the general ideas, I cannot say that I had strong feelings during the reading. And this is a shame.
Maybe this book would make someone else more happy than me, maybe I wasn’t the right audience for this one.
You can always read it, anyway, because we are all different and poetry is one of the most subjective thing in the world. Well, sometimes there is a perfect author who can express every human voice in the world, but this is another story.
*I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review *
Last month I was browsing through Netgalley and I saw this gorgeous cover. I was in the mood for a poetry book, so I requested it and the publisher gently sent it to me. I knew it would be something autobiographical, and I was very interested into the idea behind this creation.
However.
Every human being has different emotions and different lives, a poet should express every shade of these emotions and lives. I’ve always thought that a poet is someone who can read the soul of people, and has the magic to translate the souls’ sound into words. Poetry, this is very important, must be musically pleasure. Every word should be chosen with million thoughts, to be the best word in the line. I’m usually a “classic poetry” lover, which means that I appreciate the effort of the poet to find the perfect word, the perfect sound, the perfect line. I appreciate ideas that can be shared with a different set of words every time the author wants: the poet has a lot of potential in his/her hands.
About this book...
I understand the autobiography content, but this isn’t a real poet collection. The works inside are prose, not poetry. I love the link between human life and nature: every scene is powerful and intriguing, a start to wonder. However, the “poems” became repetitive every page after the first ten. The author really has great ideas, but the execution seems flat and not-creative. Repetitive quotes have meanings in poetry, but in this book they seem boring and uninteresting, banalities, common places.
The book is divided into six sections:
Seed
Soil
Water
Growth
Bloom
Restore.
As you can see, the titles show that an important part of the general idea in author’s mind is the focus on plants and nature. A poem collection grows with words, passion and a plan. In this case, the plan is to play with human and nature life idioms. I really liked this choice.
Everything begins with a person, and this person must be in peace to bring peace in the world, to express the beauty that a soul can create. When this someone finds the love, everything seems to grow fast as a plant. But the relationship needs work, water, to continue to flourish.
I’m expressing my personal opinion about poetry; even if I’m not a great fan of modern poetry sometimes I can appreciate it. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. More than poems this works are essays, author’s thoughts about life and love. However, beautiful images cannot help me to think differently: a poem should be music. I didn’t find music in this book. Even if I appreciate the general ideas, I cannot say that I had strong feelings during the reading. And this is a shame.
Maybe this book would make someone else more happy than me, maybe I wasn’t the right audience for this one.
You can always read it, anyway, because we are all different and poetry is one of the most subjective thing in the world. Well, sometimes there is a perfect author who can express every human voice in the world, but this is another story.
*I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review *
September 3, 2018
Wow.
This collection felt like it was specifically targeted to me. It uses both imagery and metaphors (and probably more literary devices than my brain remembers) of nature to weave together themes of anxiety, self care, reflection, friendship, living for the moment, and so many more. There are also pictures of gardening and nature to reinforce the themes.
Unlike many poetry collections, it does not discuss romantic relationships and instead focuses on one's self, friendships and familial relationships.
I loved this collection and would have loved to have a physical copy to have circled, underlined, and highlighted my favorite parts.
*Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review*
This collection felt like it was specifically targeted to me. It uses both imagery and metaphors (and probably more literary devices than my brain remembers) of nature to weave together themes of anxiety, self care, reflection, friendship, living for the moment, and so many more. There are also pictures of gardening and nature to reinforce the themes.
Unlike many poetry collections, it does not discuss romantic relationships and instead focuses on one's self, friendships and familial relationships.
I loved this collection and would have loved to have a physical copy to have circled, underlined, and highlighted my favorite parts.
*Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review*
January 3, 2021
One of my fav poetry collections that I’ve read so far. It was truly such an incredible and lovely collection!
I highlighted so many poems. They spoke to me or reflected what were are going through in this book community and in the world. They just really resonated with me.
Every single poem was so insightful and beautiful, beautifully real. They really made you think. Some poems are motivational and I loved that a lot.
Just overall a truly amazing poetry collection. I’m gonna need to buy the paperback for my shelves.
I highlighted so many poems. They spoke to me or reflected what were are going through in this book community and in the world. They just really resonated with me.
Every single poem was so insightful and beautiful, beautifully real. They really made you think. Some poems are motivational and I loved that a lot.
Just overall a truly amazing poetry collection. I’m gonna need to buy the paperback for my shelves.
August 2, 2018
R. H. Swaney is a vulnerable yet strong voice that will stand out from the masses. The themes will hit home and most will find them relatable. While not much new ground is covered when looking at what else is already in the genre, Swaney has a way with language that makes the collection not blur into the one you read before it, or the one you will read after. Extra points for the over arching theme and imagery of this collection...it is evident that Swaney took his time creating this work. Not that one always needs a cohesive theme when it comes to poetry, but it worked really great here, did not seem forced. Cover, artwork, and font choice are all eye catching. I recommend to any lover of modern poetry!
October 11, 2019
There's just something beautifully relaxing about reading a collection of poetry on the subject of quiet, gentle self love. That is what is to be found within the pages of R. H. Swaney's collection that is aptly subtitled as 'A Walk Through the Garden of Our Becoming'.
Through the subtitles of "Seed", "Soil", "Water", "Growth", "Bloom" and "Restore", we are offered a series of poems on this subject. At no point is this a difficult read; no content warnings are needed. I don't feel I know much about this author, though, from this collection. The main things I took away from it were that he had a tough time coming out of the male socialisation of not sharing emotions to realising that he personally needs to and that it poorly effects his mental health when he doesn't.
In that case, then, this collection could easily be seen as the author sharing his own experiences and journey on the way to self love. Unlike many other modern poets, Swaney doesn't spend any time at all mentioning past or present lovers. When he mentions other people at all, it is in reference to individuals he has seen in passing, or marginalised groups (mostly immigrants and refugees).
This sensitive and kind collection is very sorely needed and I'm so glad to have found it.
Through the subtitles of "Seed", "Soil", "Water", "Growth", "Bloom" and "Restore", we are offered a series of poems on this subject. At no point is this a difficult read; no content warnings are needed. I don't feel I know much about this author, though, from this collection. The main things I took away from it were that he had a tough time coming out of the male socialisation of not sharing emotions to realising that he personally needs to and that it poorly effects his mental health when he doesn't.
In that case, then, this collection could easily be seen as the author sharing his own experiences and journey on the way to self love. Unlike many other modern poets, Swaney doesn't spend any time at all mentioning past or present lovers. When he mentions other people at all, it is in reference to individuals he has seen in passing, or marginalised groups (mostly immigrants and refugees).
This sensitive and kind collection is very sorely needed and I'm so glad to have found it.
September 4, 2018
Lovely Seeds is a powerful yet calm poetry collection that focuses on validating feelings and finding the light and room for growth in the world. The poems move from those on the difficulties of mental health and on people not understanding that, to reflecting on life and being positive despite the harshness of the world. The poems are short, some only a few lines, and it would make a great gift for someone who enjoys contemporary poetry and would like the chance to take a step back from life and read something contemplative yet relevant. It constantly reiterates the point of taking care of yourself and radical gentleness, making it also a good collection for those who need to hear that message.
May 23, 2018
An incredible read from cover to cover. This collection of poetry from R.H. Swaney is powerful, moving, and all around heart-touching. I'd gotten this book when it was originally released via Kickstarter, and it took me so long to read. I'm glad I finally had the time to sit down and enjoy the words instead of trying to rush through it. Get this book, get it when it's rereleased in November (I think) of this year, because it's truly amazing.
January 21, 2018
I first heard of R.H. Swaney's poetry on Instagram and fell in love with the floral references. I took part in the Kickstarter for this collection in late 2017 and finally got around to reading this beautiful work. The words are beautiful and inspirational, and I would recommend it to all.
October 26, 2018
Lovely Seeds, by R.H. Swaney, is a collection of contemporary verse that strives to inspire its readers. Filled with positive affirmations through the metaphor of the life cycle of a growing plant - this is a book that will undoubtedly help people. And with carefully placed images throughout, it reaches for beauty in both text and image.
Reminiscent of Rupi Kaur and other millennial poets who've taken to Instagram with their words, Swaney has amassed readers through the medium of social media. As a result, many of the poems are very short - and while they offer epiphanies of the moment based in experience, they often lack richer poetic description. Instead of being able to contemplate or interpret the meaning behind the metaphors or images in the poem, readers are often told. This leaves me with a bit of an empty feeling; when I read a poem, I want to savor how its sounds, its images, feelings - and then interpret it on my own. While serving up platitudes of wisdom has its place in a self-help book, it becomes tiresome in a book of poetry, were focus should be on showing rather than telling.
Swaney's fans and Instagram followers will likely not be disappointed in this book, however, which is beautifully packaged. And without doubt, it is books like these that are bringing poetry out of the corner and into the limelight, attracting young people to a form that they may have had little to no experience with before. And I can only applaud this, for poetry has the power to impact the world in so many positive ways.
It is my hope, however, that the future of poetry lies in the power of what can be shown through metaphor and poetic description - and will not be lost in translation to an image perceived as beautiful, political mantras or self-help platitudes.
*Received ARC from NetGalley & Central Avenue Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Reminiscent of Rupi Kaur and other millennial poets who've taken to Instagram with their words, Swaney has amassed readers through the medium of social media. As a result, many of the poems are very short - and while they offer epiphanies of the moment based in experience, they often lack richer poetic description. Instead of being able to contemplate or interpret the meaning behind the metaphors or images in the poem, readers are often told. This leaves me with a bit of an empty feeling; when I read a poem, I want to savor how its sounds, its images, feelings - and then interpret it on my own. While serving up platitudes of wisdom has its place in a self-help book, it becomes tiresome in a book of poetry, were focus should be on showing rather than telling.
Swaney's fans and Instagram followers will likely not be disappointed in this book, however, which is beautifully packaged. And without doubt, it is books like these that are bringing poetry out of the corner and into the limelight, attracting young people to a form that they may have had little to no experience with before. And I can only applaud this, for poetry has the power to impact the world in so many positive ways.
It is my hope, however, that the future of poetry lies in the power of what can be shown through metaphor and poetic description - and will not be lost in translation to an image perceived as beautiful, political mantras or self-help platitudes.
*Received ARC from NetGalley & Central Avenue Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
August 25, 2021
this collection isn't bad. it's good. but it also isn't great. i didn't feel engaged, and i found myself getting distracted constantly and procrastinating reading it even in one sitting. are the poems good? yes. if i had context to the story, or if it even had a story at all, would the collection be better? absolutely. well i ever read this again? probably not. great message, poor execution.
November 16, 2018
Review to come.
March 7, 2022
Loved this collection of poems
February 5, 2019
Wow! Wow! Wow! 5 Stars!!
Thank you to Central Avenue Publishing and Netgalley for approving me to read this amazing book.
“ Lovely Seeds” was released in November 2018 and should be on EVERYONE’S TBR list! No matter who you are, I believe that at least some part of this poetry is going to hit home, and once it does it’ll crash hard. The emotions are oh-so real with this masterpiece.
First, I must include a brief story as to the particular day that I decided to scroll through my approved kindle e-arcs and stumbled upon this beauty. I already had a tough day under my belt and was just looking for something easy/breezy to immerse myself in. I had just left therapy ( I currently have a lot going on with my family and my health ) and was feeling down in the dumps. The gorgeous floral patterns of “ Lovely Seeds” immediately beckoned me to them.
I was first introduced to author R.H. Swaney in September 2018 when I read an anthology poetry collection, titled “ [Dis] Connected.” I found that his poems and stories stood out from the others, and once again really spoke to me...especially “Beauty in the Bones” and “A Way to Leave.” I decided to follow him on Goodreads immediately thereafter, to ensure that I’d be first to notice when he published work in the near future.
From the very first few pages I felt as if his words were jumping off of the page and reaching out for my heart. He states, “ There is no shame in seeing a therapist to empty the contents of your brain to analyze the pieces more closely. Keep the appointments. Keep pursuing the sanity you deserve.” As I’m sure you can imagine, after that little brief backstory my eyes were wide with surprise as I had just gotten home from there! Was this some kind of weird sign!? Was I supposed to be reading this right here, right now!?
Throughout the entire book I found myself nodding in unison to almost everything Swaney was saying. Why, yes, I very well could envision a world where we LITERALLY wear our hearts on our sleeves. Others would be able to know when to tread lightly, when to give a pat on the back, a much needed hug, to offer a simple smile or “hello.” Swaney invites us to “ Imagine, for a minute, a severe- weather warning system for the storms in our heads. It tells us when clouds are forming above each other, allowing us to be there at the first flash of lightning and crack of thunder.” I mean, I may be going off the deep end, but couldn’t something of the sort prevent suicide, murder; accidents? Strangers anywhere at any time could form necessary friendships. I would think it would be much harder to keep secrets or tell lies as well.
Here are some highlights that really meant a lot to me and why...
1. “ I apologize for the ones who have minimized your pain.”- I suffer from a wide variety of invisible illnesses so I often hear that I don’t “ look “ sick.
2. “Sometimes the bravest thing you’ll do in a day is get out of the bed, and that is still worth rejoicing over.”- This one is pretty self explanatory.
3. “ You either pull yourself up or get pulled up. Either is a triumph.” -I have learned that having a great support system is EVERYTHING.
4. “As for the past ten years, I’ve barely been afloat.” - Me too, six years and counting.
5. “ We are like Books, torn and tattered, with stories unfinished, an ending awaits. But like Books, all that matters is the chapters and verses and the words they say.”- At the end of the day sometimes books are my only friends. They don’t judge.
The pictures are a soothing addition to the words, they are a calm reminder that bring your mind back to ground level after closing your eyes and imagining ...”buffalo hooves as your heart beat ,your chest as a blank canvas; your painting unfinished...”
I have been extremely vulnerable, I’ve been the glass he speaks of shattered into a thousand pieces, I strive to be that “ ...rogue sunflower in the field.” After I finished reading and I powered down my kindle I felt like I had poured my heart out onto the page, but I hadn’t written a thing. I was completely captivated.
Thank you to Central Avenue Publishing and Netgalley for approving me to read this amazing book.
“ Lovely Seeds” was released in November 2018 and should be on EVERYONE’S TBR list! No matter who you are, I believe that at least some part of this poetry is going to hit home, and once it does it’ll crash hard. The emotions are oh-so real with this masterpiece.
First, I must include a brief story as to the particular day that I decided to scroll through my approved kindle e-arcs and stumbled upon this beauty. I already had a tough day under my belt and was just looking for something easy/breezy to immerse myself in. I had just left therapy ( I currently have a lot going on with my family and my health ) and was feeling down in the dumps. The gorgeous floral patterns of “ Lovely Seeds” immediately beckoned me to them.
I was first introduced to author R.H. Swaney in September 2018 when I read an anthology poetry collection, titled “ [Dis] Connected.” I found that his poems and stories stood out from the others, and once again really spoke to me...especially “Beauty in the Bones” and “A Way to Leave.” I decided to follow him on Goodreads immediately thereafter, to ensure that I’d be first to notice when he published work in the near future.
From the very first few pages I felt as if his words were jumping off of the page and reaching out for my heart. He states, “ There is no shame in seeing a therapist to empty the contents of your brain to analyze the pieces more closely. Keep the appointments. Keep pursuing the sanity you deserve.” As I’m sure you can imagine, after that little brief backstory my eyes were wide with surprise as I had just gotten home from there! Was this some kind of weird sign!? Was I supposed to be reading this right here, right now!?
Throughout the entire book I found myself nodding in unison to almost everything Swaney was saying. Why, yes, I very well could envision a world where we LITERALLY wear our hearts on our sleeves. Others would be able to know when to tread lightly, when to give a pat on the back, a much needed hug, to offer a simple smile or “hello.” Swaney invites us to “ Imagine, for a minute, a severe- weather warning system for the storms in our heads. It tells us when clouds are forming above each other, allowing us to be there at the first flash of lightning and crack of thunder.” I mean, I may be going off the deep end, but couldn’t something of the sort prevent suicide, murder; accidents? Strangers anywhere at any time could form necessary friendships. I would think it would be much harder to keep secrets or tell lies as well.
Here are some highlights that really meant a lot to me and why...
1. “ I apologize for the ones who have minimized your pain.”- I suffer from a wide variety of invisible illnesses so I often hear that I don’t “ look “ sick.
2. “Sometimes the bravest thing you’ll do in a day is get out of the bed, and that is still worth rejoicing over.”- This one is pretty self explanatory.
3. “ You either pull yourself up or get pulled up. Either is a triumph.” -I have learned that having a great support system is EVERYTHING.
4. “As for the past ten years, I’ve barely been afloat.” - Me too, six years and counting.
5. “ We are like Books, torn and tattered, with stories unfinished, an ending awaits. But like Books, all that matters is the chapters and verses and the words they say.”- At the end of the day sometimes books are my only friends. They don’t judge.
The pictures are a soothing addition to the words, they are a calm reminder that bring your mind back to ground level after closing your eyes and imagining ...”buffalo hooves as your heart beat ,your chest as a blank canvas; your painting unfinished...”
I have been extremely vulnerable, I’ve been the glass he speaks of shattered into a thousand pieces, I strive to be that “ ...rogue sunflower in the field.” After I finished reading and I powered down my kindle I felt like I had poured my heart out onto the page, but I hadn’t written a thing. I was completely captivated.
November 29, 2017
R.H. Swaney is a wonderfully talented poet. I have been reading the work he posts on Instagram for some time now, but having this collection to read at my disposal does not compare. "Lovely Seeds" is a friend when you need one. A friend you can come back to time and time again that will fill your spirit and allow you to reflect on love and gentleness. R.H. Swaney is a greatly talented writer and he uses his words to deliver light. I recommend this book whole-heartedly.
December 6, 2017
Thought provoking, inspirational, and beautiful collection of poems. Cover art is delicate and hints to artistry the book contains. Received this book through a kickstarter campaign and was delighted with the whole thing. One of my favorite new books of poetry from a local (to me) author. Highly recommend for poetry lovers.
December 7, 2017
I could tear out and frame every one of these pieces and hang them in my office (I'm a mental health counselor)
May 21, 2019
Follow this author/poet on instagram and straight the way know I had to have his book, superb brilliant read, read it in one night
January 15, 2018
Heart warming collection of poetry
September 13, 2018
I applaud the sentiment and ideas behind this book - using the life of a plant, from seed to bloom to decay, as a metaphor for emotions and healing. But...this is another in what I call the "PLATITUDES NOT POETRY" series of recent books - which Dana Gioia, in his lovely introduction to the 2018 volume of The Best American Poetry, says he hopes will introduce more people to the world of poetry, and while that would be nice, I just have to wonder why these books keep getting published and ultimately do they really serve any purpose beyond reinforcing the cliche of "bad poetry"?
Look, Swaney has a couple of promising poems here, where instead of telling and preaching and making banal statements he actually taps into the power of words to SHOW:
WHAT LIES BENEATH
I was awakeneed in the middle of the night by a forest fire
in my chest. There were old parts of me that were burning,
but I was scared to let go of them. The moon whispered,
"Breathe." Smoke billowed from my mouth. I coughed up
ashes and swallowed a waterfall to put out the flames. I fell
into a deep sleep and awoke with the first signs of green
sprouting from my heart...
...which I wish Swaney would've ended there instead of tacking on the last two sentences which are emblematic of the problem with the rest of the book:
Sometimes, there are parts of us
that need to die before we can truly grow. Sometimes, it
takes a secondary succession to truly see the beauty that can
arise from the scorched surface.
*Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, provided by the author and/or the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Look, Swaney has a couple of promising poems here, where instead of telling and preaching and making banal statements he actually taps into the power of words to SHOW:
WHAT LIES BENEATH
I was awakeneed in the middle of the night by a forest fire
in my chest. There were old parts of me that were burning,
but I was scared to let go of them. The moon whispered,
"Breathe." Smoke billowed from my mouth. I coughed up
ashes and swallowed a waterfall to put out the flames. I fell
into a deep sleep and awoke with the first signs of green
sprouting from my heart...
...which I wish Swaney would've ended there instead of tacking on the last two sentences which are emblematic of the problem with the rest of the book:
Sometimes, there are parts of us
that need to die before we can truly grow. Sometimes, it
takes a secondary succession to truly see the beauty that can
arise from the scorched surface.
*Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, provided by the author and/or the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 5, 2018
*ARC kindly provided by Central Avenue Publishing via Netgalley*
Lovely Seeds: A Walk Through the Garden of Our Becoming by R.H. Swaney is a collection of thoughts in an evocative lyrical prose, accompanied by stunning photographs.
Swaney’s poetry covers serious themes such as mental illnesses, growth, self-love and even social issues.
This poetry collection is divided into six sections: Seed, Water, Growth, Bloom and Restore.
Each part analyses in a very introspective way the human mind and life’s struggles.
Throughout the collection I noticed a fil rouge: the healing process compared to the slow and difficult growth of a plant.
Nothing is immediate, recovery least of all.
We, as human beings, are not perfect and Swaney understands this very well, that’s why we need to cherish all the good in our lives, instead of only tearing ourselves down.
But we also need to be an example for others, our happiness and strength will give them hope.
And it’s exactly this love for the other that Swaney seems to value so much that made me think of how many times have I with my negativity brought people around me down.
As for the writing style, the choice of using lyrical prose, instead of verses, somehow brings the author and the reader closer in a sort of affectionate familiarity.
Rarely such deep and dramatic themes are dealt with a never superficial lightness.
Each poem was beautifully written, in a suggestive and thought-provoking way.
I think that the combination of poetry and photographs made the book even more impactful without it resulting overwhelming, especially since the discussed topics are so serious.
I was honestly positively shocked to see how much of Swaney’s thoughts were my same exact ones. In a way it was often like reading my own feelings on paper.
Lovely Seeds: A Walk Through the Garden of Our Becoming by R.H. Swaney is a collection of thoughts in an evocative lyrical prose, accompanied by stunning photographs.
Swaney’s poetry covers serious themes such as mental illnesses, growth, self-love and even social issues.
This poetry collection is divided into six sections: Seed, Water, Growth, Bloom and Restore.
Each part analyses in a very introspective way the human mind and life’s struggles.
Throughout the collection I noticed a fil rouge: the healing process compared to the slow and difficult growth of a plant.
Nothing is immediate, recovery least of all.
We, as human beings, are not perfect and Swaney understands this very well, that’s why we need to cherish all the good in our lives, instead of only tearing ourselves down.
But we also need to be an example for others, our happiness and strength will give them hope.
And it’s exactly this love for the other that Swaney seems to value so much that made me think of how many times have I with my negativity brought people around me down.
As for the writing style, the choice of using lyrical prose, instead of verses, somehow brings the author and the reader closer in a sort of affectionate familiarity.
Rarely such deep and dramatic themes are dealt with a never superficial lightness.
Each poem was beautifully written, in a suggestive and thought-provoking way.
I think that the combination of poetry and photographs made the book even more impactful without it resulting overwhelming, especially since the discussed topics are so serious.
I was honestly positively shocked to see how much of Swaney’s thoughts were my same exact ones. In a way it was often like reading my own feelings on paper.
October 18, 2018
Beautifully set out. Love how each poem stands out from the next.
As someone who suffers from anxiety I found this book uplifting and full of encouragement.
Recommended to anyone needing to know that someone is in the same boat as them.
As someone who suffers from anxiety I found this book uplifting and full of encouragement.
Recommended to anyone needing to know that someone is in the same boat as them.
December 18, 2018
This is a beautiful collection of poetry highlighting stages of life and overcoming challenges, and finding oneself. There's something for everyone in this collection, and I hope everyone else gets just as much out of this book as I did.
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January 7, 2019
Good collection of poetry. I'd definitely look into more by this author.
June 13, 2023
just read my highlights for this that is all beautiful beautiful
February 4, 2020
It was okay. I appreciate what the poet was trying to convey through his words. The concept of the growth of plants was interesting and the topics he talked about were important, but, as much as it pains me to write this, the execution was pretty weak, I must say. As for the overall poetry collection, they sounded to me more like a prose than that of a poem. Although I did find some of them to be uplifting and intriguing, in terms of the ideas and the values which spoke volume in each stanza, I found the words and the writing to be banal and repetitive most of the times. Hence, I couldn't say I have strong feelings reading this.
November 10, 2018
I received an ebook copy of this book from NetGalley for my Kindle, and for some reason my expectations were high; I guess the gorgeous cover got me. When I first started it, I liked the idea of connecting the human experience to that of nature and the life-cycle, although I'm pretty sure I've seen this idea before in the decor at one of my grandparents' house, or something my mom got at Gordman's once.
That being said, I am so so so so disappointed, and so so so so tired of this instant-gratification style of poetry. I am not a stuffy, old fan of classic poetry--contemporary is my jam. However, I have seen much much much better recent poetry than this. The poet had some excellent ideas, but those ideas could have been condensed into one fantastic poem, although maybe just a short one, rather than being stretched out into a longish collection. The end result is a poetry collection that is repetitive, bland and uncreative. The rhyme-scheme is extremely cliche when there is one. The figurative language and vocabulary are of the most simplistic kind. It's not the worst poetry I've read, but it's a part of a large group of chapbooks that mostly contain ideas I can easily find on Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr.
As someone who is two semesters away from completing a creative writing degree, I can tell you this is not what poetry is made to be. Yes, anyone can write poetry and art is simply self-expression, but there are standards. Personally, I believe that if you can impress the hardest to impress people, and not just those who don't have a lot of experience with poetry or who are easy to impress, then you're good at writing poetry. As someone who has written poetry for years, I can tell you that this collection is relatively lacking effort and imagination. The kind of poetry that can impress anyone, the kind of poetry that lasts a longer than a trend and is memorable--that poetry is experimental, thoughtful and musical. That poetry takes pain-staking, exhausting effort. Blood, sweat, and tears. The words contained in this book did not take the maximum amount of effort; I know this because I have friends, unpublished, who are barely college students and write much better than this.
Overall, this collection had some good parts drowned out by many not-so-good parts. I highlighted many sentences that just didn't flow very well, or that fell flat although the ideas behind them had the potential to be powerful. Many ideas were brought back in later poems without being expanded upon substantially, and this happened over and over and over again. Another thing that bothered me a lot was how preachy it all sounded; I'm not against spreading a positive message, but in chapbook format, this sort of thing is not executed well. It always seems slightly pretentious to me when instead of just campaigning your good vibes on social media, you go out of your way to put your most-liked Instagram posts into a book, as if that's any better.
Although one might call me a bit high-brow, I love most of the poetry I read, whether a poet is published or not, whether the poet has esteemed or just a peer of mine, and I must say I did not love this. I try to open every book I read with an open mind, but I am disappointed. I can't even think of another word for how I feel.
That being said, I am so so so so disappointed, and so so so so tired of this instant-gratification style of poetry. I am not a stuffy, old fan of classic poetry--contemporary is my jam. However, I have seen much much much better recent poetry than this. The poet had some excellent ideas, but those ideas could have been condensed into one fantastic poem, although maybe just a short one, rather than being stretched out into a longish collection. The end result is a poetry collection that is repetitive, bland and uncreative. The rhyme-scheme is extremely cliche when there is one. The figurative language and vocabulary are of the most simplistic kind. It's not the worst poetry I've read, but it's a part of a large group of chapbooks that mostly contain ideas I can easily find on Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr.
As someone who is two semesters away from completing a creative writing degree, I can tell you this is not what poetry is made to be. Yes, anyone can write poetry and art is simply self-expression, but there are standards. Personally, I believe that if you can impress the hardest to impress people, and not just those who don't have a lot of experience with poetry or who are easy to impress, then you're good at writing poetry. As someone who has written poetry for years, I can tell you that this collection is relatively lacking effort and imagination. The kind of poetry that can impress anyone, the kind of poetry that lasts a longer than a trend and is memorable--that poetry is experimental, thoughtful and musical. That poetry takes pain-staking, exhausting effort. Blood, sweat, and tears. The words contained in this book did not take the maximum amount of effort; I know this because I have friends, unpublished, who are barely college students and write much better than this.
Overall, this collection had some good parts drowned out by many not-so-good parts. I highlighted many sentences that just didn't flow very well, or that fell flat although the ideas behind them had the potential to be powerful. Many ideas were brought back in later poems without being expanded upon substantially, and this happened over and over and over again. Another thing that bothered me a lot was how preachy it all sounded; I'm not against spreading a positive message, but in chapbook format, this sort of thing is not executed well. It always seems slightly pretentious to me when instead of just campaigning your good vibes on social media, you go out of your way to put your most-liked Instagram posts into a book, as if that's any better.
Although one might call me a bit high-brow, I love most of the poetry I read, whether a poet is published or not, whether the poet has esteemed or just a peer of mine, and I must say I did not love this. I try to open every book I read with an open mind, but I am disappointed. I can't even think of another word for how I feel.
Read
January 5, 2024“The peaceful places in our heads we yearn
to exist in are
where we find the seeds of our becoming.”
First read of 2024 and first entry for the Diverse Baseline Challenge. I’m even more excited for the challenge now—which i didn’t think was possible!
This collection of poetry takes us on a journey through life, death, and rebirth. It reminds us of the cyclical nature of all things (life, creativity, etc).
Lovely Seeds is, indeed,quite lovely. It’s a quiet book, soft and nurturing. But no less powerful for that softness. I read it as a gentle way to start or end my day and recommend you do the same.
Imagery and themes gets mirrored throughout in ways that delighted my brain AND would’ve been better if I’d read a hard copy vs a digital one. I imagine a closer read would yield even more connections.
I don’t feel i have the knowledge to rate poetry; however, I’d say i probably liked this slightly less than the Nikita Gill collection I recently finished.
There were many relatable lines (as evidenced in my updates!) but i don’t know that this collection will stick with me—only time will tell. I do see myself recommending it to my covens and other friends who take a seasonal/cyclical view of life.
If you liked Wintering by Katherine May, i think you’ll like this. And vice versa.
to exist in are
where we find the seeds of our becoming.”
First read of 2024 and first entry for the Diverse Baseline Challenge. I’m even more excited for the challenge now—which i didn’t think was possible!
This collection of poetry takes us on a journey through life, death, and rebirth. It reminds us of the cyclical nature of all things (life, creativity, etc).
Lovely Seeds is, indeed,quite lovely. It’s a quiet book, soft and nurturing. But no less powerful for that softness. I read it as a gentle way to start or end my day and recommend you do the same.
Imagery and themes gets mirrored throughout in ways that delighted my brain AND would’ve been better if I’d read a hard copy vs a digital one. I imagine a closer read would yield even more connections.
I don’t feel i have the knowledge to rate poetry; however, I’d say i probably liked this slightly less than the Nikita Gill collection I recently finished.
There were many relatable lines (as evidenced in my updates!) but i don’t know that this collection will stick with me—only time will tell. I do see myself recommending it to my covens and other friends who take a seasonal/cyclical view of life.
If you liked Wintering by Katherine May, i think you’ll like this. And vice versa.
September 29, 2018
Lovely Seeds: A Walk Through the Garden of Our Becoming by R.H. Swaney is a heartfelt collection of poetry that tackles deep topics, such as mental health and self-love. These poems, while written in a simplistic manner, really brought to life some of the powerful messages the writer was conveying. And while I couldn't connect to several of the poems, I did connect to most and found myself pausing to reflect.
The writing style was reminiscent of the overall metaphorical meaning, giving an almost vulnerable feel at times.
As said, I did connect to most of the poems. One of them was this one called Feeble Advice from Well-Intentioned Friends:
You cannot run from what is haunting you
if what plagues you comes from within.
It hurts when they tell you to just relax,
because you know your brain doesn't work that way.
You wouldn't tell the tree to be like the flower,
or the flower to be like the tree.
So why do they think it's that easy?
-I apologize for the ones who have minimized your pain.
That particular poem hit close to home since so many say something (while trying to be helpful) that doesn't ever work since that is not how life works.
This collection was just sheer beauty.
The writing style was reminiscent of the overall metaphorical meaning, giving an almost vulnerable feel at times.
As said, I did connect to most of the poems. One of them was this one called Feeble Advice from Well-Intentioned Friends:
You cannot run from what is haunting you
if what plagues you comes from within.
It hurts when they tell you to just relax,
because you know your brain doesn't work that way.
You wouldn't tell the tree to be like the flower,
or the flower to be like the tree.
So why do they think it's that easy?
-I apologize for the ones who have minimized your pain.
That particular poem hit close to home since so many say something (while trying to be helpful) that doesn't ever work since that is not how life works.
This collection was just sheer beauty.
September 18, 2018
A very heart-warming and gentle book that sidesteps the more usual themes one might find in other poetry collections for the most part. Lovely Seeds has a laser-like focus on healing, growth, family, and friendships. A self-help book written in verse, or a self-help poetry book, if you will.
While admittedly, the style in which the verses are written isn’t my particular cup of tea, the poems do have a sweet and earnest sincerity about them that is rather touching.
Overall, I do genuinely think that there a number of people out there who are maybe going through a difficult period, or suffer from anxiety that may very well get a great deal out of this collection; so much so, that I’ve passed the title of the book along to a couple of people I know who are employed within those areas of care work. Even if the book only helps one person feel a bit better within themselves then that can only be a good thing.
This was an ARC from NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
While admittedly, the style in which the verses are written isn’t my particular cup of tea, the poems do have a sweet and earnest sincerity about them that is rather touching.
Overall, I do genuinely think that there a number of people out there who are maybe going through a difficult period, or suffer from anxiety that may very well get a great deal out of this collection; so much so, that I’ve passed the title of the book along to a couple of people I know who are employed within those areas of care work. Even if the book only helps one person feel a bit better within themselves then that can only be a good thing.
This was an ARC from NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
December 8, 2019
This wasn't what I was expecting but I really enjoyed this selection of poetry. For me, it spoke to a central theme of universal humanity. It begins by working readers towards an acceptance that they are worthy; that they belong. As the poetry continues, it becomes a story about how even in the state of the world as it is, we are all working towards the same goal. We are all in this together.
It was clear this was written by a man, in my opinion. It wasn't so much the writing style but it was instead the disregard for trauma and the fact that people can and should just jump over trauma and move along. That we can easily forget the hardships that have befallen us and befriend our oppressors. While I inherently agree that people need to unite, I don't agree that we should remove all talks of race, gender, or sexual orientation from the mix. Differences are important and relevant and they make us unique. It is time to celebrate our differences and embrace them, rather than set them aside.
It was clear this was written by a man, in my opinion. It wasn't so much the writing style but it was instead the disregard for trauma and the fact that people can and should just jump over trauma and move along. That we can easily forget the hardships that have befallen us and befriend our oppressors. While I inherently agree that people need to unite, I don't agree that we should remove all talks of race, gender, or sexual orientation from the mix. Differences are important and relevant and they make us unique. It is time to celebrate our differences and embrace them, rather than set them aside.
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