My Heart of Rice: A Poetic Filipino American Experience

by Ashley C. Lanuza

Through vivid and rhythmic poetry, My Heart of Rice moves to empower anyone who may have a difficult or unconventional relationship with their cultural identity. While Lanuza encourages acceptance of our unique details, she emphasizes the unity found in shared experiences and speaks of the inherent need for belonging, the youthful attempts at assimilation, and the deep melting pot of ethnicity and culture that makes up our humanity.

Genres: Poetry, Aapi, Nonfiction, Asian Literature, Biography Memoir, Womens

180 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 20, 2020

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every Filipino needs to read this book right now. Wow. This book is filled with such emotion and realness. I was already hooked after reading the authors note. I read this book in one sitting. The author’s expressions of cultural identity, micro aggressions, and forgotten histories are displayed so well in the form of poetry. It is beautiful. I related so much to the author’s struggles, especially with the desire to suppress the filipino culture as a child due to other kids at school being culturally insensitive. I also related to the author’s struggles with navigating college on my own. There were also wholesome subjects in this book that I related to such as the ambience of Filipino parties, the warmth and comfort that Filipino food brings, and the feeling of relating to others regarding Filipino culture. I also enjoyed the chapter on forgotten Filipino histories because I learned a lot from them. I wasn’t aware of some of the struggles that the author wrote about. The Philippine Exhibition of 1904 and the United farm workers association was so interesting to read along with the other stories. It was heartbreaking to learn about these forgotten histories but at the same time uplifting to see how far us Filipinos have come in life. Like Dr. Jose Rizal said, “Ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makarating sa paroroonan.” I love how at the end, it all comes full circle and concludes with the author eventually discovering her cultural identity. It felt like I was following the author throughout her life experiences while also reflecting upon my own experiences. I can already see myself re reading this book multiple times in the future. If I could give this more than 5 stars I would. “You’ve made my heart into rice: familiarity, comfort, home, love.”

[kalia jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

this isn't poetry.

poem books like these should just be memoirs tbh

[maisie ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ My Heart of Rice was such a great collection of poems. I love reading poetry, but I usually find myself disconnected from the material because I don’t relate that much. This, however, made me feel so seen. Being Filipino myself, I thought it was amazing how Ashley Lanuza decided to write a book dedicated to her cultural identity. Lanuza also does a nice job at tackling other topics such as micro-aggressions, social & racial inequality, Asian diaspora, forgotten histories, and finding comfort in one’s cultural foods. In the introduction of this book, the author discusses how this book is based on her personal experiences and that everyone’s experiences can differ. This is so true because I found myself relating to a lot of things but at the same time, there were things I’ve never experienced but was able to learn about through this book. Each section of the book felt so personal and vulnerable. My favorite chapter was definitely the Forgotten Histories section because I was able to learn so much about Filipino history. I loved how at the end of the book, there was an appendix, which gave even more information on the forgotten histories. Overall, I thought it was so sweet how the author dedicated this entire book to her Lolocon. This was such an insightful and heartwarming read :)

[rina]

“your love for the chopping board, the stove, the rice cooker, is endless. At the head of the table glistens the sweet sticky rice, meat cuddled by a thick pool of sauce, all crafted by you.”

I felt so nostalgic reading this.

[janeee :D · Rating 1 out of 5]

hello my beautiful jane nation 💓 this will be different from my usual review format as i can’t really review poetry in my normal one as that tackles prose 🤷‍♀️😖 but worry not !! this won’t be Too serious as this is a rant review !!!!!!!!

i want to start this off by saying im a mainland filipino 🫠🫠 hopefully that slips a substantial amount of context into this rage fest bc i understand that what im abt to say is vitriolic and nit-picky — i just am very specific about the pinoy media i consume , esp in regards to the diaspora , so when they represent filipino culture in skewed ways ( in any capacity !!! ) , i get a bit… uhm… angry 😵‍💫😵‍💫 hopefully that negates some of my temerity lol .

my heart of rice is a poetry collection that documents ashley c. lanuza’s struggle with their filipino heritage . obviously its so great that the diaspora yearn to reconnect with their roots and express their feelings through creative outlets , but the execution of this attempt is… audacious , to say the least 😭 i havent felt hatred for a book in soooo long . there are some books that u just dread picking up , not even the reading goal will not pressure u into reading another page , but here we are ! here i am . let’s discuss the mildly bothersome elements to the downright problematic aspects of this book , shall we ? yes plz 😵‍💫😵‍💫

let’s begin with the long ass authors note that i will not bother to add quote as i fear filling up the review word count lol . to summarize , it basically stated that they weren’t immersed in the culture , and therefore should be handled with select empathy bc they’re sensitive, doing their best, and trying to somehow accurately convey their experience . seeing that i was like okay , whatever , i understand . THEN !!!!!! ten pages later , lanuza mistranslated a word . FUVKISJFNDJDF . mind u they mentioned that this book was partly for filipino americans in that BIBLE-LENGTH authors note , so i don’t quite understand deliberately mistranslating something ( ik it was deliberate bc the accurate meaning was explored in the poem ) for people who do not know better 😵‍💫😭 like , kamayan is hands ?? okay . u explained what kamayan actually is then just mistranslated it ig like sure 🤷‍♀️🫠

it is even more crazy when you refer back to the authors note . “I am handing my heart over to you. It is sensitive and precious.” was a plea basically impelling the audience not to get mad if u have fuck ups cuz u ‘researched’ like if someone finds mistakes take that as a sign to research BETTER . ur representing sm here and ur trying to convey the experience and how u feel disconnected with the culture !!!!!! do ur apt diligence 😭😭 research properly !!!!!!!!! how r u gonna say u feel isolated from the filipino community then disrepect it and begging others to be kind like Huh !!!!!

now we’re at the fr problematic part . lanuza is of filipino descent but aligns with latine culture as she was better acquainted with it bc of her ex-stepfather . yeah,,, so tell me why she uses rice and beans as a metaphor and placeholder for asians and mexicans respectively 😭😭 like HUHHHHHHH,,,, that can’t be right . that just Isn’t right . i could not believe it w my two eyes — and this went on the entireeee 200 pages . i was shocked n so so disappointed 🫤🫠 the thing is , it wasn’t even used subtly because not only was this book deplorably navel-gazey , it’s just poorly written . poetry is supposed to be precise and surgical , and i really do not understand the use of it in this book . its prose but segmented . there is no purposeful stylistic choices , no intention in the aesthetic , NOTHING and it’s abhorrent 😭😵‍💫 the entire time i just wanted to scream why do u fucking WRITE LIKE THIS 😭😭😭 UR GROWN ASHLEY C. LANUZA !!!!!!!!!!! WHAT THE FUCK !!!!!!!! not only that but the way YEW wrote it was so uncreative . its always the same regurgitated sentiments when poetry is the most flexible kind of writing !!! the bounds are in ur head !!! u can explore so much in poetry !!! and u write something as remedial as ‘whitewashed’ like GIVE ME A BREAKKKK . POETRY IS ABT SHOWING . SHOW MEEEEEEE ‼️‼️‼️

do we want an example ? i think we do .

“Anxiety in identity gang up on me
for what is lacking, whispering:
Weird. Stab.
Whitewashed. Stab.
Not Filipino enough.
Stab.”

like that is,,, abysmal . ashley c. lanuza hasn’t studied or read poetry a day in their life . they’re going off of vibes Alone . it’s funny bc they almost boasted abt it in the authors note ??? “Oh, and did I mention it’s all in poetry form? Enjoy.” i just wanted to say stop ur sooo embarrassing . this is barely poetry ! this is barely anything ! no panache in that pen at all !

“All

para sa’yo, all for you.”

nakalimutan nya ba ang lahat LIKEBAJABAUSB . anyway… i dont understand why lanuza italicized the ethnic words but esp food as if its this foreign , unknown concept that u have to bring attention to . it completely counters the point ur trying to make which is to bring filipino and latine culture to a wider audience 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️ also tagalog is a language not a dialecttttt 😩🫠 i feel like that was one of the easier things to know how r u gonna fuck up even that ?? 😭

then we go into a part which talks abt being filipino and hispanic,,, idk . i understand that this is like a memoir basically , but its laughable how theyre so caught up in their own grief that they never mentioned that the reason the cultures were so intertwined was bc of colonization . like i really dont want to be dismissive of their feelings , but colonization and history is talked abt extensively in the fil am history portion of this book — so i don’t understand why they wouldn’t perceive that nexus ???? but okay . theres even a poriton when they said they found comfort in spain cuz they speak spanish as if latin spanish is the same as conquistador spanish,,, inch resting . mind u spain colonized both the philippines and mexico so what r u on abt . this is in ‘abroad in barcelona‘ .

“Your daughter finds home in him,
his stature tall and bulky,
not saying Kumusta ka na?
but Hola.”

sigh .

“But I will never be their “beans.”

how is that not racist…

“I am not rice. / Yet I am still not “beans.”

it just wouldn’t stop…

“Until I speak
and they call me Chinita.”

is that supposed to be an insult ??? wanting to connect to being filipino and being mad when people point out that u are !!! of course ostracisation is real but this poem delineates feeling more at home in latino landscapes when the whole book is based off being filipino , then its like oh u feel bad now that u r pointed out as something different when the point of the collection is that u R different ??? what . like i dont want to be facetious cuz theyre def going thru some things but i dont see how this is a good representation of mainland filipino culture and is also referring to mexicans as beans so 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️ like what went thru their head writing bean metaphors,,, u said urself only the people around u were mexican . that doesnt make YEW 🫵 ashley c. lanuza , mexican urself , so why does that give u the right to make those questionable comparisons HMMM 🤔

“Her skin is milky white to my caramel brown”

interesting .

i did end up liking a resounding one ( 1 ) poem in this collection . it was american dream . yay for that !

but back to it 😘

‘conversations lost in translation’ is bad . period . i cant stand diaspora who try to justify changing terms already established by mainland filipinos to be more inclusive when the language is already made to fit all . who fucking cares that the word filipino was made by colonizers 😭 that was 500 years ago at this point . we have ACCLIMATED to that name , and for you to claim that we now should be called pilipinx to distance ourselves from colonizers and to be more inclusive when the alphabet doesnt include an x or indigenous tribes centering queerness is crazy . mind u i say this as a pan , not so cis filipino like 😭 it isnt that big of a deal it isnt hurting anyone but yes it is because the way were represented is up to fil ams in the diaspora , and the more they create new terms to keep up with the western society that never wanted them in the first place , the more they alienate and create rifts with mainland filipinos . also this book hasnt used the word pinoy once 😵‍💫🫠

“how can I truly complain about how this life is haunted?”

true !! idc if this is lanuza sharing their experiences !!! this books sucks !!! it’s boring n should’ve been left it in the journalssssssss .

i’m going to leave it off there and w a one star . if anyone is down to converse abt this book im suuuuper interested , esp if FILIPINOS have different views . so yeah 😇❤️‍🩹🙏 hope u enjoyed this review jane nation !! peace 🤕🦶

[laurie ♡︎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“each dish connected me to my filipino heritage, along with the teleseryes (filipino soap operas) we watched every night. food was the consistent connection to my “filipino-ness.”

right off the jump i knew that this collection of poems was gonna hurt me in some type of way. the author’s note in the beginning was enough for me to see a reflection of myself in this book. lazuna talked about her connection to culture through a strong relationship with her lolo (for me it was my grandma). the way he raised her so her mom could work long hours. the food. the filipino teleseryes. the culture shock of being asian in a hispanic dominated place. it was actually insane how many similarities i could draw from me to the author so early on in the book.

“how could i tell you that i am american—
in my individuality,
my selfishness,
my self-indulgence?
when i am also filipino��
through my collectivism,
my selflessness,
my hunger to love.”

there’s something so special about how filipino culture brings its people together. family is so, so important to our people and yet even without any blood relation, the feel of community is incredibly strong.

isang bagsak “if one falls, we all fall, and when one rises, we all rise.”

the self-discovering journey in this book about being filipino-american is one, many fil-ams experience. and i think we can all pull something significant from this collection of poems.

there’s so much to relate to. the mentions of food, family, and fitting in. the inner turmoil of being distanced from your homeland. guilt for the sacrifices made by your immigrant parents/grandparents. the need and expectation instilled in you to do well in order to pay them back for those sacrifices (utang na loob).

“have you ever experienced yourself
through a textbook?
because here in the states,
you’re worth multiple chapters
when you are a white man.
if you are me—
female, not white, a child of immigrants—
i am barely worth a sentence.”

i think its very interesting how the author has viewed their identity throughout the years. especially how she has felt about her connection to hispanic culture. i know that letting go of the identity she created in that culture was a gate into discovering her filipino side, but i think it’s possible to continue to wave all three flags (american, filipino, latino). hispanic culture seems to be a huge part of who she is and i dont really understand why she had to let that part go in order to fully embrace being filipino.

but anyway, i read this in one sitting. i was fully invested in what she had to say and i often felt called out. so thank you to ashley c. lazuna for these poems <3

“i am a product of immigrants,
your wildest dream, your labor’s payoff.
out of all this,
i am your granddaughter—
and you’ve made my heart into rice:
familiarity, comfort, home, love.”

[John Sapida · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a immigrant from the Philippines, moving abroad around the age of 9, and having grown up most of my life abroad, I connected to a lot of the the author’s narrative around cultural identity. I saw my own experiences and challenges in the author’s words, but I also learned a lot from the experiences that I didn’t have that are just as important and just as valid. I can’t wait to share this collection with others and then talk to them about cultural identity afterwards.

[Marcela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot describe how seen I felt reading this. Ashley C. Lanuza wrote words I've only dares say in my heart and to see them written and felt by another Fil-Am was healing. I cried many times reading this.

[Jake Leech · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a book that attempts to do three things: grapple with the author's "difficult or unconventional relationship with their cultural identity" (the author is a first-generation Filipino-American raised in a Latino culture); tell her story through a food lens (I think?); and "Oh, and did I mention it's all in poetry form?"

I think the author does a great job with the first part. I especially liked Chapter 9: Forgotten Histories, which tells some of the stories of the twentieth century Filipino-American. I was concurrently reading Erika Lee's The Making of Asian America, so I'd read about some of those events.

On the other parts, maybe not such a great job. The poems mention food a lot, but mostly just to mention what the author is eating. And I have very little appreciation for poetry, so I could be totally wrong, but the poems themselves came across mostly as flowery, obtuse prose with line breaks.

All in all, I think that if you are a person who has a complex cultural identity, I don't think you're going to learn much about that topic here. And there are certainly better places to learn about Filipino cooking and Filipino-American history.

[Mary Anne · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was looking forward to this poetry collection, but was disappointed. Even though the intention of speaking about culture and Filipino history is admirable, it seems like a very premature draft. The author hones in on specific experiences that seem almost unrelatable. The poetry felt unfulfilling. The structure, design, and art form wasn't developed at all. It seemed like I was reading someone's diary at times which could be effective, but in this case was unintentional and not thought out as poetry should be. The Fil-Am experience in Lanuza's story was laid out here but was almost cringe-worthy. The typical stories of the privileged struggle made my eyes roll. I was confused with the food metaphors. She refers to Latino communities as "beans" which seems a bit questionable. The author should explore other forms of poetry to inform herself of her craft. Her performances online that I looked into in my attempt to WANT to like this book felt the same.. unexciting, boring, forced, unrelatable. I returned the book on Amazon. Not for me but could work for someone else who is looking for a train read where you're not thinking about much

[isa diosa ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

“you’ve made my heart into rice: familiarity, comfort, home, love.”

my friend gifted me this book at a secret santa gift exchange so i took the time to read it today and i finished it in one sitting.

i enjoyed this book so much because it combined my two favorite things—filipino american identity and poetry—into one and it was so beautifully done. i found myself relating to a lot of pieces in this book, so it was really comforting to read. i also enjoyed how there was a chapter on forgotten filipino histories with more elaborate explanations in the appendix at the end. i wasn’t really expecting it but i enjoyed it so much because i learned a lot about some of the moments of filipino struggles that aren’t usually talked about in school.

overall a heartwarming read!! the poems weren’t that extraordinary but they were still good regardless :’)

[Reggie Lynn Agulto · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cried at multiple points of this book. I feel seen. I feel closer to my community. I also appreciated the appendix. I learned so much more than I expected — about myself and my heritage.

[pennpenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

- A lovely, heartfelt poetry collection!
- Poems are short and sweet, making it an easy read
- I loved how Lanuza criticized the arrogant, entitled attitude of many younger generations trying to reconnect with their culture. I thought it was very self-aware of her to reflect on her own doubts of simply going through the motions of reconnecting with her roots. That youthful arrogance clashing with generation gaps is something I've never seen an author talk about, and it was very well conveyed!
- Personally, I wanted more depth in the writing itself. Many of the poems are written in a simplistic, plain-spoken style, which is effective in some cases. But, for the majority of the book, it's a little too direct to be appropriately impactful, as themes are often directly stated to the reader. I think if Lanuza leaned more into the poetic language and literary devices, these poems could've been taken to the next level.
- Still, I admire how she was able to chronicle both her personal journey and the journey of Filipino Americans throughout history in a way that is easily accessible for people who might not be familiar with Filipino American culture. It's a great jumping-off point for people who want to learn about stories of the Filipino American experience.
- As the title implies, these poems are incredibly personal, specific to her lived experiences, and genuine, and I commend her for her vulnerability.
- Lowkey got emotional at the end with "I am" and "to lolocon:" LOL-- this book just felt like a warm hug of sweet rice!

- My favorites poems/sections!:
- "Spoonful of Love"
- "nanay gloria's supermarket"
- "homework on the kitchen table"
- "birthday parties"
- "1970s- Demolishing the International Hotel in San Francisco, California"
- "1990s to Present- Oversea Filipino Workers" ("landline," "cell phone")
- "I am"

All in all, kudos to Ashley C. Lanuza for a wonderful debut! I'm looking forward to her future work!

[Brooke Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two words: CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT!

First, the cover of this book is so cute & the title is very clever! Love them both!

Also, I didn’t intentionally put off reviewing this book until a culturally significant period (i.e. #asianlivesmatter , #stopasianhate ) but this book does a damn good job of highlighting the difficulties minorities face in America! A big thing to keep in mind if you read this book (& you should!) is that it’s ‘A Poetic Filipino American Experience’. I do like that it’s labeled as an experience because that’s certainly what it is!

I absolutely love reading poetry that includes culture! This book is full of it & I’m getting all giddy thinking about it!

The cultural references, the social significance, the personal significance, the use of other languages, & especially the person Ashley writes the book to/for - Lolocon (her grandfather) - makes this book an incredible personal AND cultural experience that’s extremely relevant both in general & right now.

Overall, I’ll say that this book would be most enjoyed in the hands of people who enjoy culture, learning about things like social/racial inequality, & even people who like it when poets include food in their poems...because holy crap am I craving some sticky rice!

This book was phenomenal & important & I love it!

[Lis Osea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t often ready poetry and I’m picky about what I choose to read when it comes to it. But Ashely’s personal story and the way she weaved her experiences into her literature was beautiful nonetheless.

I am Filipino-American and grew up in NYC. One would think it would be easy to find a strong Filipino community with how diverse New York is. Unfortunately, my disconnection with my culture grew because my heritage had a fading presence and the lack of Filipino friends. I did not grow up in a predominantly white neighborhood, in fact most of my friends were all POC of many cultures. Yet, I rarely connected with the few Filipinos growing up in middle school. I lost confidence in my Filipino identity and gave up attempting to rebuild that confidence again. Though, in high school, I met one of my closest Filipino friends today. She was my only Filipino friend who helped me navigate my high school years, and I’m truly grateful to her. I’m lucky her and I have joined the Filipino club at our college and created new connections with beautiful people.

Ashley’s poetry reminded me of my younger self who was struggling with every part of their identity. And it was heartwarming to see how though every Filipino may be raised or experience their “Filipinoness” differently. Food seems to always be the common thread that ties us together as well as many cultures in Southeast Asia.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do not read a lot of poetry so I wouldn’t be the right person to rate this work from a technical writing perspective. My rating is based what I learned from this book as well as my overall experience reading it.

As a poetry novice who knows very little of Filipino American history, I can’t say enough how much I appreciated the note from the author at the beginning and the appendix she included at the end. Both of these elements helped me better comprehend and absorb the messages in her poetry.

Lanuza does a beautiful job of expressing the struggle of connecting to multiple heritages and cultures while not feeling totally accepted or belonging to any of them. She is an American who is Filipino by blood, raised in a Mexican Spanish-speaking home/community. While all of these pieces meld into a unique individual who is perfect the way she is, society has a way of forcing people into narrow identities, of which none truly describe her.

I can’t say that this book converted me to a poetry reader, but it did inspire me to learn more about Filipino-American history. The author includes specific historical events in the appendix and well as a list references, so I am grateful to have a place to start.

[Genevieve · Rating 2 out of 5]

Title was intriguing but I didn't feel like the poetry lived up to it. It is definitely very personal. It's so personal that it can be hard to relate to even as a Filipino identifying individual. This book may have come out a tad premature out of the oven. I feel like if the poems marinated a bit more and the author came out of the context of college Filipino communities, then it would've had more of an impact. I found the poems to be a little cliche for my taste. Also found some of the bean metaphors weird as it made me think of a derogatory term for Latino people... Unfortunately, a book that I am open for others to take or buy from me. I don't find myself reading it again. This may be an echo to a larger problem of hybrid publishing authors. The content is not as good but the book is forced to be pumped out too fast.

[Hailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I see so much of myself in parts of this collection as a Filipino American. I also thought it lacked a bit for my tastes in poetry but still a very enjoyable read for me and it will have a special place in my collection when I want to reminisce a bit about my similar experiences.

Additionally, I have almost no knowledge about Filipino American activism and had no idea about Filipino soldiers in WWII and the injustice with their compensation to this day. I really appreciate getting a window into some of these causes and the extra context the author provides along with it.

[Alejandro · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this reflection on cultural identity through childhood and early adulthood. There were parts or poems that I found cheesy, but I could see the argument of them reflecting the immature or younger stages of the journey. I thoroughly enjoyed the later half of the poetic experience whilst reflecting on my own cultural identity. Great pay off in the last few poems. I see potential in the author.

[Paula Sanchez · Rating 2 out of 5]

There wasn’t enough “oomf” to Lanuza’s poetry. I feel like it was a bit premature. I found it difficult to read through the entire work, not because the poems were necessarily “bad” but they were boring. There wasn’t enough grit for me. There were some poems that could’ve been taken out because they didn’t really seem to add much to the book. There were a couple good ones but none that really won my heart. Perhaps I expected something with more of a kick.

[Delie Dell Chua · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Love this book of poetry because the poet managed to express food, Cultural identity, family and memories in her poems! She managed to evoke different emotions in each poem. Confusion- as to which identity should she embrace (Filipino, mexican or American?), Love- for her family particularly her Mom, nostalgia, happiness and so much more!

[Natalie Ledesma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really wanted to take my time with this book. While it is poetry, I believe I needed to really pay attention to each entry as each one was connected to who I am as well. I thought the author did a wonderful job of connecting her identity and her life experiences into thoughtful messages. 100% would recommend to any of my Fil-Am friends!

[Gaby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel honored to have read this. I wish I had the vocabulary to detail how this touched my soul. A few poems made me cry hard out of love for Filipino food and culture, but I especially appreciate the poems about colorism, colonialism, and activism. Beautiful. This could end diaspora wars methinks

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lanuza's style of poetry is not my favorite, but the narrative she told through this collection of poems was inspiring and I saw my own experiences reflected in a way that I wouldn't anywhere else, and for that I am thankful.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Suggest to read the appendix first for those, like me, aren't familiar with Filipino American history.

[Jacqueline · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Jordan Agmata · Rating 2 out of 5]

not my thing, but reading some of these did give me nostalgia & were relatable

[Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Ashley Lanuza for being so vulnerable and showing us your deepest emotions and YOUR reality. Your words are gorgeous, and I am honored to have read this work of art!

[Mele Moldero · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up 🤍

[dolly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like it but the poetry wasnt very good, this would of been better as a memoir.