What do you think?
Rate this book
Ways to Beg
The poems in Ways to Beg are in constant conversation. They speak to and of each other, to ancestors, gods, pets, strangers on planes, and, most often, directly to the reader. Their aim is mutual inquiry. They want to swap stories and jokes and secrets, to stay up all night, refilling your beverage of choice, diligently pursuing the unsaid, the unsayable. In short, they want to ask the right questions. To deliberate how we’ve come to inhabit our bodies, our families, our grief, our country, our planet—and how we intend to make good on that lonesome and curious responsibility.
- GenresPoetry
114 pages, Paperback
Published May 1, 2021
About the author
T.J. Sandella
1 book7 followersT.J. Sandella is the author of Ways to Beg (Black Lawrence Press, 2021), which was a finalist or semi-finalist for several awards, including the Miller Williams Poetry Prize, the Brittingham & Felix Pollak Prizes, and the Crab Orchard First Book Award. Selected by Dorianne Laux for inclusion in the Best New Poets anthology, he is the recipient of an Elinor Benedict Prize for Poetry (selected by Aimee Nezhukumatathil), a William Matthews Poetry Prize (selected by Billy Collins), two Academy of American Poets Prizes, and two pushcart prize nominations. He’s currently working on his first feature-length film, which he is co-writing and co-directing. He lives in Cleveland, Ohio.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 17, 2021
A lot of this collection is really beautiful and powerful, but the author seems like a total shmuck.
July 5, 2021
TJ Sandella has created a collection of work that managed to both bring me to tears as he explored the loss of his mother, and to make me laugh out loud - a feat done effortlessly throughout this impressive debut book. TJ's poetry is powerful, relevant, generous, and accessible even to those who don't usually find themselves reading poetry. I think Sandella is particularly masterful at endings which often left me thinking, damn, that was good. You won't regret getting lost in this book!
August 29, 2024
“curse the children
for not knowing
that if you live long enough
life is mostly washing dishes”
this poetry collection found me at the right time. i’m doing dishes like all the fucking time. i’m living alone for the first time, adjusting to a 9-5, reminiscing my youth, worrying about my parents aging, regretting past mistakes, and feeling a whole lot of loneliness. and doing it all in the great state of ohio! every one of those experiences was touched on in TJ Sandella’s poetry collection Ways To Beg.
sometimes these subjects are handled with this great dry, observant humor which reminds of the genius that is a one Diane Seuss. other times they are interwoven into some truly heartbreaking poems. the poem “104.7 FM, the Zoo” made me think of a John Mulaney bit but in poem form, and the “It Took Seven Days for My Mother to Die“ poem made me cry and text my mom. that almost impossible but effective balance is really what pulled me into this collection.
on a craft level, i loved the line breaks in these poems. they were interesting and made me pause in unexpected places. there were so many stellar lines too, one of my favorites being:
“strung my guilt over my shoulder like an old guitar and hauled it out into the night”
read this poetry collection if you like nature, eat food, or have experienced grief. also i met this poet on a pickleball court and there’s some good alliteration in there somewhere.
for not knowing
that if you live long enough
life is mostly washing dishes”
this poetry collection found me at the right time. i’m doing dishes like all the fucking time. i’m living alone for the first time, adjusting to a 9-5, reminiscing my youth, worrying about my parents aging, regretting past mistakes, and feeling a whole lot of loneliness. and doing it all in the great state of ohio! every one of those experiences was touched on in TJ Sandella’s poetry collection Ways To Beg.
sometimes these subjects are handled with this great dry, observant humor which reminds of the genius that is a one Diane Seuss. other times they are interwoven into some truly heartbreaking poems. the poem “104.7 FM, the Zoo” made me think of a John Mulaney bit but in poem form, and the “It Took Seven Days for My Mother to Die“ poem made me cry and text my mom. that almost impossible but effective balance is really what pulled me into this collection.
on a craft level, i loved the line breaks in these poems. they were interesting and made me pause in unexpected places. there were so many stellar lines too, one of my favorites being:
“strung my guilt over my shoulder like an old guitar and hauled it out into the night”
read this poetry collection if you like nature, eat food, or have experienced grief. also i met this poet on a pickleball court and there’s some good alliteration in there somewhere.
July 3, 2021
Sandella’s verse is not without its charm,
and there are some truly standout moments throughout his collection, but the whole of these poems read a touch juvenile and predictable. At times, he delivers lines of true poetic precision but soon falters with phrasing that lands a bit too self-aware. This will no doubt sound more judgmental than intended, and I only intend it as a descriptor for the tone of this collection, but Sandella’s writing carries the essence of a former college fraternity “bro” trying his hand at poetry.
It’s a good attempt, full of practiced structure, strong linguistic choices, and a real aim at tenderness that, unfortunately, never manages to feel authentic even as it finds a consistently beautiful rhythm in its amalgam of humor, emotion, and social commentary.
*Almost added a star for that stunning cover design!
and there are some truly standout moments throughout his collection, but the whole of these poems read a touch juvenile and predictable. At times, he delivers lines of true poetic precision but soon falters with phrasing that lands a bit too self-aware. This will no doubt sound more judgmental than intended, and I only intend it as a descriptor for the tone of this collection, but Sandella’s writing carries the essence of a former college fraternity “bro” trying his hand at poetry.
It’s a good attempt, full of practiced structure, strong linguistic choices, and a real aim at tenderness that, unfortunately, never manages to feel authentic even as it finds a consistently beautiful rhythm in its amalgam of humor, emotion, and social commentary.
*Almost added a star for that stunning cover design!
July 22, 2021
The poetry in this collection has incredible range, both in content and emotion. TJ weaves stories of the complexities of being human with humility and humor. He navigates loss, guilt, loneliness, and life's pleasures with ease, encouraging the reader to walk the fine line between hope and despair. I thoroughly enjoyed this read!
January 6, 2025
I absolutely love this book. He may be my new current favorite poet. I was hoping he had another book out. I particularly loved the poem about his mother, the poem Baptism and knack Nocturne interrupted. Wow.
November 7, 2021
Profoundly raw (but at times lighthearted), hilarious, and devastating all at once. This collection juxtaposes unlikely topics in a refreshingly genuine way. Did the writer’s youth come through? Yes… and that’s precisely what lent to its charm! It was not trying too hard to be anything but a “real” and deep representation of Sandella’s truth. Though not a classically trained poet myself, I know when a creative work inspires me, and “Ways to Beg” did just that. It left me wanting more, which is the highest compliment I can give. Bravo!
May 11, 2021
Sharp and cutting, just how I like my poetry. A solid collection with titles so long they made me laugh with their audacity. I'm wondering how well some of these will age considering many of them are jabs at the 45th North American president. Fun and thoughtful time capsules.
July 22, 2021
This collection changed my life.
July 22, 2021
This collection of poems is a must read for anyone looking for a fulfilling read that will keep you captivated from the very beginning. A beautiful debut!
February 6, 2022
Absolutely tantalizing. Heartbreaking and breathtaking. I cried, and turned the page and cried anew.
November 24, 2024
Michael my angel got me this in Chicago….. started out not my fav then brought out some heavy hitters. It is a bit man-ish for me
February 22, 2025
Not an instructional manual on how to like I supposed but some solid poems nonetheless. A nostalgia for a certain type of Midwest
Arrival and Flight are my favorites.
Arrival and Flight are my favorites.
January 20, 2022
A wonderful first collection from Sandella, with whom, full disclosure, I went to college. Good guy. These poems are filled with gentle insight, prodding this mad world of ours as well as Sandella's internal world of memory and day-to-day meditations. They are also suffused with hope and the beauty in broken things longing to be whole.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews