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My Groans Pour Out Like Water: poems

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At the age of 25, Frances Bloom came home to find her spouse, childhood sweetheart, best friend, and the love of her life, dead in their shared home. Within the backdrop of the American South, Bloom's debut book of poetry deals with the first six months of loss. Bloom writes about grief, love, depression, mania, and making sense of the ills of all this living.

275 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 14, 2018

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About the author

Frances Bloom

1 book17 followers
At the age of 25, Frances Bloom came home to find her spouse, childhood sweetheart, best friend, and the love of her life, dead in their shared home.

Within the backdrop of the American South, Bloom's debut book of poetry deals with the first six months of loss. Bloom writes about grief, love, depression, mania, and making sense of the ills of all this living.

Bloom says her poetry is a necessary outpour from extreme grief and trauma.


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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
717 reviews23 followers
August 14, 2018
This was a wonderful book to read. The poems were sad but I think anyone would be sad and writing sad things after your significant other had died. They were so full of emotion, that you have felt this sad many times. There is sadness, anger, grieving and many other emotions. If these were not thought out poems, they were wonderful.

I won this book in a GoodReads Giveaway for an honest review!
190 reviews3 followers
September 23, 2018
I received a free ebook copy of this book through a giveaway hosted on GoodReads.

My Groans Pour Out Like Water is a heartbreaking look into the life of a grieving wife. The poet, Frances Bloom writes in the collection about the pain of losing her husband at a young age, and the way she struggles to cope with it while also dealing with mental illness and addiction. She writes of both the highs of mania and the lows of depression, and all the experiences she has in between as she watches a fast-moving world outside through the blinds of a life put on pause, and especially the feelings of wishing it would end altogether. Bloom’s words are powerful and moving, illustrating vividly her thoughts and feelings as she takes this emotional journey. Although no one but those who have gone through these experiences themselves can claim to fully know how she feels, the reader is able to get a strong taste of her life through her verses.
Profile Image for Toya Taylor.
313 reviews6 followers
August 10, 2018
Shock and awe

I'm new to poetry, but this collection of poems will make you a believer. Poems range from making me laugh to some that were sad.
1 review
August 11, 2018
I felt like I was reading a young Bukowski and Leonard Cohen mixed into one. Really good book.
Profile Image for Matt McAvoy.
Author 8 books97 followers
July 31, 2018
Poetry is a unique expression of art, and the perfect medium for bereavement therapy, in the respect that the author can pour random words of helplessness and despair onto the page without order, as chaotic in prose as it is in their mind. “My Groans Pour Out Like Water” is actually a hugely appropriate title for this book, the “groans” in reference being Frances’s groans of pain and misery.

Although there is something more than a little voyeuristic about reading this extremely personal collection, she is a wonderful poet and this is excellent, high quality work, right from the very first line, so to not share it would be a shame. Her heart is well and truly on her sleeve throughout this devastatingly sad and poignant book, made all the more heartbreaking by its tribute to her recently late husband before you start reading it. Frances’s feelings of grief are still raw and, with every next poem, you can witness her scrubbing them even more so. Although not all directly address her tragedy, its despair is still there throughout, if in mood only – “Millennial Blues”, for example, questioning the prospects of the young, is suitably metaphorical for the collection in general, whilst “Another Day” and “I Lie Here” capture the hopelessness Frances feels perfectly. You do find yourself hoping, at times, that there is a glimmer of light – a hint of hope – before this journey has reached its end. But, upon reading “Junkie Blues”, just after midway, you learn that the author’s cynical resentment and self-deprecation is caused by something other than just her bereavement, and it brings new depth to her work – I won’t go into details here, but needless to say, the clue is in the title.

This book offers a real taste of life in the US’s rural southwest, with its arid landscape and hopeless, boozy culture. It offers some great, vivid description of the Texan wilderness, along with a side of whiskey and a great, big chunk of melancholy blues. The rustic, mountainous settings and locations are wonderfully created. I did feel, on occasion, that some of the lines were perhaps a touch long and confusing, its punctuation not perfect, though this offbeat imperfection probably suits Frances just fine - its prose is reflective of the rural, southern lilt in which it is told. Besides, she more than makes up for it, with beautiful turns of phrase, such as: “pathways auction themselves, but no one finds me” – a great analogy for being lost, spiritually and emotionally.

A brilliant piece of work, by an extremely talented author, and one of the most engrossing collections of poetry I have read in a long time. I would love to highly recommend this book, but it feels a little like feeding off of Frances’s sadness. Still, it is undeniably good poetry, and I am pleased that she chose to share it, even if it is heartbreaking to read.
Profile Image for Gloria Zak.
604 reviews2 followers
August 15, 2018
Good poetry book

First thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to enjoy this book through the Goodreads giveaway program.

The author truly poured her heart out in this book. You can sense her agony as days and nights went by. I hope writing this book helped alleviate some of the pain she feels.

Frances Bloom writes very well. Her poetry is easy to read. While I did not connect with each poem, there were several that really spoke to me: Another Day and I Lie Here.

I hope Ms Bloom continues to write, with some variety in topics in the future. I want to hear her voice in joy too.
1 review
September 26, 2018
When I first started to read this book, I knew bloom had an amazing talent with words. She paints a picture of truly what she has been though and going through. Highly recommended for someone who is going through the hardship of greif and loss and can’t find the words to explain to others what they are going through. Beautifully written. I can’t wait to see what she comes out with next.
Profile Image for Dana.
99 reviews
August 16, 2018
Won through GoodReads, thank you. Anyone who has lost someone they love can relate. I cried numerous times. I loved every single poem!
Profile Image for Andy Nelson.
62 reviews
January 16, 2021
The author simply rips your heart out with this collection of emotionally charged poems. Her pain is intense as proven throughout these poems which try, but likely don’t lessen, her pain. You want to be transported to her side, hold her hand, hug her, and tell her it will be alright even though you know it won’t. An incredible collection of poems that bring out the authors raw emotion, love of her spouse, and complete inability to deal with unexpected loss.
Profile Image for Allen Beacon.
1 review
August 31, 2018
I never liked poetry before, but damn is this a good book. I couldn't put it down.
Profile Image for Tina Williams.
1 review
August 31, 2018
The cover of this book was really beautiful but not as beautiful as the words within. Bloom is a really talented author and I hope she gets some recognition for this outstanding book!
Profile Image for Lourdes.
566 reviews7 followers
September 19, 2018
With a loss the author experienced, it can bring so many emotions, and to put it all in poetry, very beautiful writing, just with sadness. I won this book through Goodreads.
Profile Image for Carla.
1,310 reviews22 followers
February 15, 2021
Wow, what to say about this book. Frances Bloom writes these poems during her grieving for her spouse after his death. They are absolutely gut wrenching. I don't read as much poetry as I should, but after reading this, I think I could only take such heartbreaking poetry in small drabs. It was exacerbated by the fact that within a few weeks of winning it as a Goodreads Giveaway, I was getting reminder updates to rate it. This book was over 250 pages!!! 250 pages of astronomical grief that I could only read a few a day. Why did this have to be put into one book for heaven's sake. This book should have been read over a year! I don't remember when I've read a book of poetry that was this large at a time. Ms. Bloom can write, that's for sure. This was probably cathartic for her, but for me, it wasn't.
Profile Image for Bijal Shah.
Author 4 books23 followers
September 5, 2018
25 year old Frances Bloom pours out her heart on the loss of her spouse in this beautiful and artistic poetry collection - each poem contains her grief and sadness in thoughtful verse and expression.

Suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and bipolar 1 disorder, this is Bloom's poetic therapy stringing together fragile words to carry the weight of her great loss, the toll of the PTSD and bipolar 1 disorder and the daily struggles of life itself.

Each poem is aesthetically composed, reflecting the sense of loss she feels using apt metaphors, striking a chord with those who have experienced loss before.

September and In Dreams capture so eloquently...read the full review at: https://www.booktherapy.io/pages/bere...My Groans Pour Out Like Water: poems by Frances Bloom
Profile Image for Becky.
389 reviews31 followers
September 5, 2018
I won this in a kindle giveaway. I read some poetry but not very often. I like road to nowhere which kinda reminds me of the road not taken. I like the poems in this it can be sad but real life can suck. I liked junkie blues, there were so many good ones. She is very honest and not afraid to be vulnerable. The emotions pour out of these poems. Poetry isn't a genre I read but this was a good collection.
Profile Image for George the Girl.
170 reviews11 followers
January 3, 2021
So much depth. Heartbreak, absolutely. Sad? Terribly. Yet still, layers of hope. Glimpses of beauty, of how precious life can be. I found it comforting, the words wrapping around me like a favorite sweater. I found the love and passion that caused such grief to be a thing of envy. A wonderful read, meant to be taken slow and savored.
Profile Image for Christine.
1 review
August 1, 2018
I loved the cover of this book and was immediately curious about it. This is an original voice, one I have not had the pleasure of reading before. It reads like a novel, I felt transported to each place she wrote about. I felt as if I was Frances as I read these profoundly raw and vulnerable poems. Loved it.
469 reviews27 followers
March 19, 2021
I received this Kindle ebook as a Goodreads Giveaway courtesy of the author. This book of over 100 poems just blew me away. After the first few lines of the book, my breath caught and my heart dropped and froze as I kept reading these beautifully crafted, clean poems. I felt the universal messages that can be found here regarding grief, loss, pain, sorrow, suffering, despair, loneliness, hopelessness and love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love. This book had my full attention as I couldn't stop turning the pages and attending to my sometimes heavy heart. The role of nature and place in the writing provided a strong grounding for the reader. I'd like to thank the author for putting this book out into the world, sharing this unbelievable talented writing, and giving others like me inspiration to consider choosing writing as an outlet in coping with trauma, grief, and loss. This book and the author's stories on her website helped me feel less alone, as I too have suffered a traumatic loss of a loved one.
Profile Image for Melissa (Nissa_the.bookworm).
1,125 reviews88 followers
February 18, 2021
I won a copy of this via a Goodreads Giveaway.

I really feel the pain of this author. In 2015, my 22 year old brother died in a car accident. After the loss of him, I also turned to poetry to help grieve him.

Through her poetry, I can feel how much she loved her husband. Loss is so difficult and lonesome. I hope that she has seen better days more recently.

Her portrayal of the south was incredible. I felt like I was sitting with her in those deep mountain ranges and soaking my feet in the river with her. I hope to see more poetry from her in the future.
Profile Image for Stephanie.
163 reviews7 followers
April 12, 2021
Grab the box of tissues and the most comfortable seat on the couch because this read is a tear jerker for sure. As we dive into Bloom's intimate loss, we feel a depth of sadness and empathy. She has a way of using humor to describe her pain, which is appreciated when you share the same defense mechanism. But aside from the giggles, there is a deep cry for help that isn't to be taken lightly.

My heart and well wishes go out to Bloom and the healing that's to come.
Profile Image for Alan Lewis.
419 reviews22 followers
January 7, 2022
Grief

Poems written by a grieving widow as she comes to grips with a major loss in her life. Full of genuine sorrow. I too have lost and many of these spoke to me directly.

I received a complementary copy via #GoodreadsGiveaway
159 reviews2 followers
Want to read
February 16, 2021
Great I won the giveaway, can't wait to start reading
690 reviews31 followers
May 12, 2021
Raw gried haughtingly laid bare.

My copy was a gift through Goodreads First Reads.
Profile Image for Edie Walls.
1,121 reviews9 followers
April 27, 2022
“I wish
This field of
Pastel pink could do it,
How I pray
This twinkling orchid
Could be enough.”

- from "I Tried to Live for a Rose Pogonia" by Frances Bloom

I really really loved these poems! "I Am Going to Rise This Morning" is a personal favorite.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews

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