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Kiss Off: Poems to Set You Free
The editors of "The Hell with Love" are back, applying their irreverent view of life and love to help melt the hardest heart. For anyone who's been let down by life and love, these poems reveal that the most important person one can fall in love with is oneself.
- GenresPoetry
232 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
April 13, 2014
The poems were okay, but what I really liked were the introductions to each section. The ladies who put this compilation together seemed to know just what I was thinking and feeling when I was reading it, which was freaky and comforting at the same time.
5 stars for the introductions.
3 stars for the poems.
5 stars for the introductions.
3 stars for the poems.
July 19, 2016
Bibliotherapy. I've been slowly making my way through this book since 2013 and it felt like the right time to finish it.
March 11, 2024
Is it 4 stars? Is it 5 stars? For how quickly I fly through this poetry series, I’d have to bump it to 5 stars! Not the same ol poems you’ll find in many dusty anthologies. I especially enjoyed “Sister Lou”
August 28, 2020
The poems are preceded by very insightful essays regarding stages of depression, however, I did feel that the slant was a retro amount of sympathy for unattached females. Being single appears to be the main reason that the writers think a woman might be depressed, which could be where they were when they wrote the book, but seems pretty 1950s to me. If you ignore that perspective, the advice can still work and provide some comfort.
The choice of poets that are included is not much different from their other anthology, The Hell with Love. The anthology is divided into stages of depression- Hurting, Hiding, Reeling, Dealing, Healing, and Believing. I personally preferred the poems in Healing and Believing, which could reflect my state of mind. One of my new favourites is Hans Ostrom's 'Emily Dickinson and Elvis Presley in Heaven' which I thought really worked as an imagined encounter between them. My favourite line is from James Wright's poem, 'A Blessing': Suddenly I realized that if I stepped out of my body I would break into blossom. What an image!!!
The writers included a poem by a four year old of their acquaintance, "Sadie's Poem"
Eenie, meenie, minie, moe,
There's a fire in my toe
Grab your butt and don't let go!
I hope Sadie nurtures her interest in poetry and keeps her high spirits forever.
The choice of poets that are included is not much different from their other anthology, The Hell with Love. The anthology is divided into stages of depression- Hurting, Hiding, Reeling, Dealing, Healing, and Believing. I personally preferred the poems in Healing and Believing, which could reflect my state of mind. One of my new favourites is Hans Ostrom's 'Emily Dickinson and Elvis Presley in Heaven' which I thought really worked as an imagined encounter between them. My favourite line is from James Wright's poem, 'A Blessing': Suddenly I realized that if I stepped out of my body I would break into blossom. What an image!!!
The writers included a poem by a four year old of their acquaintance, "Sadie's Poem"
Eenie, meenie, minie, moe,
There's a fire in my toe
Grab your butt and don't let go!
I hope Sadie nurtures her interest in poetry and keeps her high spirits forever.
March 24, 2024
5 stars for the section introductions — an incredibly timely read. The authors’ voice is very endearing, uplifting and engaging; feels like getting advice from a dear old friend who cuts through the bullshit to help you get out of your darkness. I would love to read their writings outside of poem anthologies.
2 stars for the poems themselves, as I personally couldn’t see most of their relevance to the narrative being told.
2 stars for the poems themselves, as I personally couldn’t see most of their relevance to the narrative being told.
October 8, 2017
Behind the harsh words of its title, Kiss Off offers step by step instructions, so to speak, for dealing with the rough stuff in life. From angry to funny to provocative, these poems will help you through every stage described in this book.
January 21, 2018
simple poems for people did not comfortable read poems like me. the author able to classified each poems to different categories to suit the mood. we can easily choose which categories to read if needs some instant comfort healing
December 29, 2008
While cleaning the poetry section of the store on Christmas Eve, I found this little book with two of those candy hearts with the messages on them on both the cover and down the spine. I felt pretty certain that it was yet another collection of love poems until I noted that the two hearts on the cover said “KISS OFF” smiling at the irony of it all, it thumbed through the pages. Turns out, this book, “Kiss off: Poems to Set You Free” is a montage of poems and short essays that that you through the stages of a break-up. This book has become not only my friend, but also a devotional that serves to remind me whenever I need reminding that the world is not a loveless place, that love actually is everywhere, and that I’m not at all alone in my current state of misery.
September 3, 2012
Nice collection. A plus for me is how the poem authors names are in a different colored ink that's slightly harder to make out, so as i read the poem I don't know immediately who wrote it until AFTER i've finished reading it... which is just enough to put the 'ENGLISH MAJOR' lurking in the back of brain to sleep before it starts spouting dogma. For example, reading the poem 'the Blessing' without knowing who wrote it made the description of meeting ponies in a pasture magical but then finding out it's author suddenly made it just wow.
And no i'm not telling you who it was, go find out and be surprised yerself.
And no i'm not telling you who it was, go find out and be surprised yerself.
May 8, 2009
This is a fantastic collection of poetry from various poets throughout the ages. The poems are divided into different sections: hurting, hiding, reeling, dealing, healing, and believing.
These poems can help you from the time when things fall apart to when you’re ready to deal with the world again. Some are elegant, like William Butler Yeats’ The Second Coming (“things fall apart, the centre cannot hold”). Still, some are a bit more to the point, such as Deborah Garrison’s Fight Song (“Sometimes you have to say it: F*** them all.”).
Worth having on the shelf.
These poems can help you from the time when things fall apart to when you’re ready to deal with the world again. Some are elegant, like William Butler Yeats’ The Second Coming (“things fall apart, the centre cannot hold”). Still, some are a bit more to the point, such as Deborah Garrison’s Fight Song (“Sometimes you have to say it: F*** them all.”).
Worth having on the shelf.
February 13, 2008
Many of these poems aren't that great. I wasn't really expecting them to be. But this anthology includes a lot of amazing poets like national Poet Laureate (2001-2003), Billy Collins and Nobel Prize Winner, Derek Walcott (1992). It's kind of a mixed bag, but I like it. I didn't think I'd find anything good in a poetry anthology with conversation hearts on the cover, so I was pleasantly surprised.
January 6, 2009
I don't normally read much poetry, so I can't really comment on the quality of the poems, but there were a few that didn't seem to me to fit in the section they were put in. I really like the concept of this book, the way the editors sorted the poems to help put them in an overall context, and I enjoyed most of their introductory commentary at the beginning of each section. I also found a couple of poems that I really liked and one I loved, so that's worth reading the whole book for to me.
June 7, 2011
This is a small book of poems that at first didn't strike me as much but as I read them many of them started speaking to me.
They are poems for women about female experiences but they speak as well to anyone.
Good read.
They are poems for women about female experiences but they speak as well to anyone.
Good read.
February 17, 2018
A nice selection of poems about failed, uneven, and frustrating romantic relationships. Of course, I'm biased because the anthology includes one of my poems, "Emily Dickinson and Elvis Presley in Heaven." Other than that, it's a strong and varied collection by a wide range of poets.
August 2, 2012
A cute little poetry anthology for when you're down and then rise up. Not sure of intended audience-- seems at times literary, and the poets selected are good 'uns, then it quips into Britney Spears cutesy mode. The explanation/ self help intros are pretty accurate, if not a little simplified.
February 4, 2013
I definitely enjoyed this book. Just like "Drive Me Crazy " it has those wonderful section dividers that talk about the poems in the section and why they fit that stage. Lots of fun to read, and it introduced me to some poets I wouldn't have picked up on my own.
September 6, 2010
Wonderful! So many gems in this second compilation. Can't wait to buy their third book...
February 9, 2014
I liked the poems but the introductions to each chapter were too long.
July 8, 2014
Loved this. There are some really great poems in this collection. There are some funny ones and beautiful ones. There's definitely something for everyone in this collection.
September 3, 2016
I didn't know when I picked a copy up at a book sale what these poems would help me through... Thank you for collecting them, author peoples.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2015
Perhaps the best book to read after a breakup. Goes well with a pint of ice cream.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews