Conversations with Good Men

by Bethel Swift

Conversations with Good Men is a three-act drama, written in verse, that takes readers on a journey of love, longing, heartbreak, and hope. Swift’s poems compassionately explore the concept of man’s “goodness” in addition to her own struggles as a single female finding her place in navigating the world of dating and relationships while contending with anxiety, depression, sexual assault, survivorship, and the pain that accompanies growth. Fans of poets from Elizabeth Barrett Browning, to E.E. Cummings, to Rupi Kaur and Charly Cox will appreciate Swift’s brevity, wit, transparency, and heart in this collection.

89 pages, Paperback

Published February 18, 2020

About the author

Bethel Swift is a San Diego-based poet, workshop instructor, and blogger from the South Side of Chicago. Her poetry has been published in Armenian Poetry Project, Haiku Journal, and Expressions from Englewood as well as exhibited at Columbia College Chicago. In 2017, she was the recipient of an AWP Writer to Writer Mentorship with poet Sandy Coomer (Available Light). Prior to that, Bethel studied under Kristina Marie Darling (Dark Horse) and Larry Sawyer (Vertigo Diary) at the Chicago School of Poetics and with Martha Vertreace-Doody (Glacier Fire) at Kennedy-King College.

Reviews

[Fida Islaih · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t connect with the poems. I appreciate the alliteration, imagery and metaphors.

[Yashika Doshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a really well written book, I especially like the way it was structured, so as to give the reader a gist of the different themes explored. My favourite poems from the entirety of the book were Once upon a springtime, Perspectives, Merits and a Single tale. Looking forward to read more from Bethel!

[Jeniffer Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conversations with Good Men is a beautifully crafted collection of heart break, wit, and female empowerment. I highly recommend this gem of a book to anyone who loves poetry, or for anyone who just loves good writing that makes you look beyond the surface of what you think is real. Brava!

[Susan Farese · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 'from the heart' clever and astute glimpse at Bethel's relationships with her sharing raw pain, humor, delight, angst and more.

[Deborah Jang]

Bethel Swift’s “Conversations with Good Men” takes the reader along a vulnerable yet courageous exploration of relational experiences and observations. They are expressed through conversation— both internal and plain spoken. We are privy to her innermost insecurities and hopes. The language is direct and unpretentious. The vulnerability and common humanity expressed in “hope-filled eyes” balances with a spirit of resolve and unflinching honesty.

[Laura Engel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Bethel Swift's debut, Conversations with Good Men, I was immediately caught up in the story of this young woman, written in delightful and profound poetry. The reader experiences the writer's struggles in finding herself, coming to terms with her upbringing, her growth, her sense of self worth as a woman and feminist, and learning to love not just a good man, but herself. This is a book you will pick up and re-read many times simply to experience the powerful and meaningful poetry which never grows stale. I adore this slim beautiful volume that holds so much within it's pages.

[Whitney Rio-Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bethel Swift's poems in "Conversations with Good Men" are an act of courage. She speaks of love blooming and love lost; of the divine and all the questions it entails; of those desires and fears we do our best to hide. She dares to articulate the intensely personal and thus reveals what is universally resonate. As I read the book, I felt I was being read; in each poem, I found myself or someone I love. Along with her piercing emotional insight, Swift enters into ongoing conversations and mysteries, bringing in the poetry of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, religion, and feminism. When all artfully strung together, this one book contains astounding breadth and depth all at once.

[Abhay Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

⚫️Bethel Swift's Conversations with Good Men is a rich and memorable poetic odyssey that explores the landscapes of love, desire, heartache, and recovery. Written in verse and structured as a three-act drama, this work skillfully weaves unbridled emotion with lyrical beauty, presenting us with a close-up look at the delicate dance of relationship, personal transformation, and the path to survival.

⚫️Swift's poetry is profoundly personal yet also universally resonant. She confronts the notion of "goodness" in men with unflinching honesty and introspection, confronting themes of love, disillusionment, and personal growth. Her work is bluntly honest about anxiety, depression, and the residual impact of trauma, and yet it does not foreclose on hope and resilience.

⚫️Most remarkable about this collection, however, is Swift's incredible capacity to balance vulnerability with strength. Her words linger not only in mourning; they also pay tribute to the strength of the human soul. Readers will be moved to consider their own lives, questioning the essence of love and trust, and eventually, feeling a connection with the poet's quest. The three-act format adds emotional momentum, taking us through the highs and lows on a coherent narrative thread.

⚫️Readers of poets such as Elizabeth Barrett Browning, E.E. Cummings, Rupi Kaur, and Charly Cox will find Swift's ability to distill deep emotion into sparse, powerful lines most appealing. Her humor, vulnerability, and rich storytelling make Conversations with Good Men a must-read for anyone who has loved, lost, or tried to understand the intricacies of human connection. It is strongly recommended for poetry lovers and those walking their own journey of healing and self-awareness.

Happy reading ❤️✨

[Anjuli Nunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bethel's voice is like a flower unfolding petals of wisdom and knowledge. I received a review copy of the audiobook so that I could post a review. Bethel's advice on relationships comes through subtly via stories that she tells. "One hundred chocolate chip kisses, each, a teardrop," is just many of the sweet lines she infuses into her writing. She talks about a father figure, the disappointments, the triumphs of being a daughter. In "Undiagnosed" she brings careful awareness to mental health, and closes out with a positive note. She keeps things real after having mentioned a drive-by shooting, among other serious issues to which she voices concerns. She talks about a break-up of a relationship as akin to baking banana bread and she makes it sound so simple; her words just flow. I was pleasantly surprised to hear a beautiful translation of one of the poems in Spanish as well. Overall, Conversations with Good Men" is a tasty bite with morsels of wisdom on relationships and positivity and I recommend this book! I do much better listening to audiobooks rather than reading text, and this was just what I needed for the holiday season.

[stylelover · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admire this poet greatly, and I love this book! The poems very subtly show us varied relationships between the poet and men in her life. With each poem, we see much thought, heart, and hurt…and the healing that comes from having penned a book like this—poems that tell the stories of a life from the perspective of a woman who has analyzed the emotional collateral that results from the sometimes unintentional damage done by men.

[Ellen Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

In "Conversations with Good Men" Bethel Swift takes on a poetic journey of a relationship in poems that offer intimate glimpses of the elation and disappointment of love. Set up in sections like a three act play, the reader sees the lovers dance between closeness and distance and roots for them to succeed.

[Clouds 🌸🌺 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did finish it - I just really didn’t enjoy it. I genuinely found it terrible tbh but ok, poetry is so subjective 😬

[Amanda Byzak · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finally had a chance to read this book that has been sitting on my shelf. It reads like a glimpse of a memoir, focused on the longing for love, understanding men, and struggling with worth. Many poems, though clearly about a life that is not my own, felt kindred in spirit.

I love poetry, for it relieves the little ache that grows inside us when we write it. And when we read that one poem... the one that touches that secret place inside, we feel that warm embrace that only someone who understands you could give.