The Humbling and Other Poems

by Robert J. Tiess

This inspired debut poetry collection, which was featured as an "Editor's Pick" in the June 20, 2022 issue of Publishers Weekly, features over 100 unforgettable poems on humility, love, truth, peace, time, redemption, and hope.

New fans quickly discover Robert's poetry spans a vast array of topics and styles, ensuring there is "something for everyone" to be found in his carefully crafted works.

Longtime fans of Robert's poetry will be elated to find Interior Kingdom, The Song of Walt Is Our Song, Amid the Jersey Turnpike Whales, the Phoenix poems, and other favorites included here along with new works.


Bonus Materials:

As part of Robert's ongoing efforts to promote accessibility in poetry, he has included a glossary of poetry terms, reading suggestions, three brief essays, an author biography, and more in his book.


Reviews:

"Tiess's striking debut may prioritize insights on humility, but don't mistake it for a humble affair. In inviting, wide-ranging poems, kicking off with a celebration of 'the paradox of Socrates' and a promise 'to understand I do not know, / and yet enlighten as I go,' The Humbling probes at the world in gently insistent verse.... Tiess admires most what's clear and what's enduring, relishing how deer 'face elements with fortitude,' or marveling at how 'marble hands / ten fingers firmly interlocked' persist after centuries in a ruin. With the uncommon directness that is the hallmark of his work, he urges humanity itself to take steps to persist as well, calling for the crafting of 'an ark of love to save / our good world from an open grave.' Endmatter including essays and a glossary of poetic terms makes explicit what readers will infer throughout: The accessibility of Tiess's poems is the result of careful craft, a zeal to express complex thoughts that sing yet also communicate. 'On the yards of my poems,' he writes in one essay, 'I did not want any 'Keep Out' or 'No Trespassers' signs posted.' Instead, The Humbling is an open house, one whose tributes to Whitman and Tolkien suggest the author's un-humble intentions: approachable yet resonant literature to move, inspire, and even instruct: 'Your dreams must not be mere bouquets / which prettify but whither soon.'" from Publishers Weekly's Booklife


5 OUT OF 5 STARS. "The Humbling and Other Poems is a mesmerizing poetry collection by Robert J. Tiess. The poems delve into the various aspects of life's journey, such as humility, love, apathy, time, hope, and much more. The collection follows a person in the prime of life, wondering what new mysteries await them in the future. Now I've Become a Butterfly demonstrates how we should strive to live for something greater than ourselves. Remembrance of a Future's Past reiterates the age-old adage that those who forget their history are condemned to repeat it. Phoenix: Eternal insists that it is necessary to fall to learn something new and rediscover oneself. A warrior struggles with the inner conflicts of his soul in The War Within while Escaping Escapism shows how people sometimes pine for any form of escapist release to avoid the truth. Robert J. Tiess takes readers on an intellectual and emotional odyssey you don't want to end. Stylistically and structurally diverse, his beautifully crafted verses make a mark on your soul and leave you with a lot to ponder. Despite the similarity in themes and subject matter, each poem has something different to say and feels unique and authentic on its own. Toward the end of the book, Tiess provides a few complementary essays that give you an insight into the creation of these poems. This is an immensely helpful addition for aspiring poets. If you are a poetry lover, The Humbling and Other Poems is a must-read for you." from Readers' Favorite


"A momentous and impressive display of carefully crafted poetry, The Humbling and Other Poems is a complex yet accessible collection. Balancing experimental rhyme schemes and free verse poems with traditional patterns and melodic bursts of language, the breadth of Tiess' technical skill is impressive. Meticulous in his meter and self-imposed structures, it is clear how much curation and editing has gone into every line of this collection. These are powerful and personal poems that should absolutely be read aloud and savored." from The Independent Review of Books


Online:

You can follow Robert on Twitter, Instagram, or AllPoetry, where he frequently posts new poems and participates in poetry challenges.

All of these websites can be reached through his official website (see his Author page at Goodreads for the link).

Genres: Poetry

217 pages, Paperback

Published April 26, 2022

About the author

Robert J. Tiess is a poet from New York State. His acclaimed poetry has been featured most recently on the Late Night Poets radio show and AllPoetry. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz University with a degree in English Literature, he has been writing poetry since the 1980s and pursuing a joyful career in public library service since the mid-1990s. You can learn more about the author in The Humbling and Other Poems.

From the Poet: "I enjoy writing poetry of all kinds. Almost all of my poems are composed in hopes of being read aloud. My most frequent themes include: compassion, love, unity, empowerment, freedom, truth, equality, justice, tolerance, peace, gratitude, mindfulness, nature, individuality, humility, philosophy, spirituality, art, science, mythology, and imagination.

All readers are welcome, respected, and appreciated here. If you wish, you can follow me online at www.twitter.com/RobertJTiess and www.RobertJTiess.net. If you read any of my works, thank you."

The aspiring and inspired debut poetry collection by Robert J. Tiess. Over 100 memorable poems on humility, love, truth, peace, time, redemption, and hope. Includes Obsidian with Sheens of Gold, Interior Kingdom, The Song of Walt Is Our Song, Amid the Jersey Turnpike Whales, Love's Special Relativity, Tao, Withstanding, the Phoenix poems, and other fan favorites, along with new works. Also included: author biography, three brief essays, a glossary of poetry terms, reading suggestions, and more.

There are currently 5 editions of The Humbling and Other Poems:

1. Print: paperback edition (Amazon; ISBN-13: 9798986179513; ASIN: B09YVPDW8L)

2. Print: hardcover edition (Barnes & Noble; ISBN-13: 9798986179537)

3. Ebook: Amazon Kindle Edition (ISBN-13: 9798986179506; Amazon ASIN: B09YMPN6VW)

4. Selections from The Humbling and Other Poems: The Abridged Edition
Ebook: Amazon Kindle Edition / Kindle Unlimited (Amazon ASIN: B0C71VYZCJ)

5. Ebook: Barnes and Noble Nook Edition (Barnes & Noble ID/EAN: 2940160717142)

6. Ebook: Kobo edition

Please visit the author's website for all links, book reviews, samples, news, and more.

Reviews

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible! I'm thankful to GR for the chance to review this book. It demonstrates a rarely seen mastery of language and rhythm . The Halycon Days was quite possibly my favorite poem but it's incredibly hard to choose. SO many of the poems feel rich or poignant while others feel light and euphoric. I highly recommend this work to poetry lovers and lovers of language.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book, originally, as a gift for my daughter. I did find it very interesting. I am not, normally, a big fan of poetry but I found a good selection of poems that were instantly enjoyable and understandable. Many of the poems in this book are very thought-provoking and I feel that a 2nd read is in order to fully comprehend the depth of what the writer is saying.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some very nice poems.

[Victoria Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took a chance on this, and I'm glad I did. That cover caught my eye, I have to admit. I studied art in college for a while, and it reminded me of something by Raphael, and, sure enough, Tiess mentions the painting I was thinking about and how he reinterpreted that. I loved it turned out to be Socrates who's on the cover. Tiess's poetry exceeded my expectations. This is a poet who gets it. I started out with Whitman and Keats as a young woman, so I have very high expectations of poets I read. His essays are interesting as well.

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm thankful to Goodreads for a chance to giddily review this book. What a wonderful use of imagery, vocabulary, rhythm and rhyme! I was positively enchanted by the entire collection. Some were perfect verbal screenshots of a moment in time. While others speculated and articulated thoughts on life. I strongly recommend this to other poetry admirers and can't wait to read whatever else this author has to offer.

[Glen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads drawing.

A decent enough book of poetry. However there are 1,000 poems here. Poetry books tend to be slim for a reason.

After the poems, there is something of an English textbook full of technical information. This was interesting, but a bit of an odd choice, I thought.

Poets just don't usually tell you how to read their work.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to both Goodreads and the poet for an advance copy of this collection.

There are a few stereotypes that people fall back on when thinking about poets. One is of course as the trust fund child with no real life experiences, problems or even real thoughts but what videos make them sad on TikTok that are the basis of their work. Another is a slightly crazed looking person living in a small studio that has been rent controlled since the late 60's, filled with empty fountain pens, and smelling of spilled milk. People don't think of poets as real people, people who walk among us, live, laugh, love and experience loss, in the same way. Poets get the short shrift in the arts. Sure they drag one out when a president is inaugurated, and poetry even has a month. However while poets are working the coffeehouse circuit, Taylor Swift is selling out stadiums, with millions singing along, and Ticketmaster making a fortune. Sure, there are some poets who have found a way to Milk fame and make honey, but most poets are people who document what they see, what they feel, and try to make readers understand. And sometimes poets write just to make our hearts less heavy.

The Humbling and Other Poems by Robert J. Tiess is a very good collection of poems that range across many themes, and ideas, and places. The works are short, but quick to to their job and move on, leaving the reader with a lot to contemplate. These are the kind of poems one starts the day with, to help beat the Monday Blues, or the Wednesday Blahs. Poems that talk of travel, better places, good times, and thoughts that one can carry through the day. One of my favorites was a piece entitled A Raindrop on its Journey, which for some reason stayed with me and continues to pop up at the strangest of times. Just the idea of a drop of water and what it could see and touch, first ascending into the sky, falling down, assembling itself, and doing it again, from heaven to earth and back again.

Robert J. Tiess is a very good poet who uses a lot of positive imagery and visuals in Tiess' pieces, creating works that make people think, wonder, question and contemplate the future, both good and well possibly bad. There is iron under the velvet words that are used here. A nice collection to start a journey on, or even better to read after the day is done, and before going to bed, perchance to lift one's spirits in dreams.

[Stacy Renee (LazyDayLit) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won an ecopy of this book of poetry from Goodreads. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Features 100 fantastic poems covering a wide range of themes that include (but are not limited to) nature and fantasy. Fantastic themes, messages, and rhymes made the majority of these poems a delight to read.

One of my main goals this year was to read more poetry and I specifically wanted to read more poetry during National Poetry Month (April) so I waited to read this. It turned out to be a perfect time because I read it in between two fantasy novels that really set the mood for me to read and enjoy the fun fantasy-themed poems in this book.

A few of my favorites:
~Now I've Become A Butterfly
~Still Here
~Butterfly Mindset
~A Raindrop On Its Journey
~What Dreams May Leave
~To Tolkien, the Mythmaker
~Art of Diversity
~Tell Them the Whole Truth

[Delainey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book but I found myself skimming poems so it would be over faster. The poems were surface-level and I struggled to find joy in them. This collection wasn't for me.

There was a lot of potential here that just needed refinement. I hope this author continues to write and share their love for poetry.

[Maggie Chatterton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Humbling and Other Poems by Robert J. Tiess is a collection of thought-provoking poetry with a few essays and other material. There were many, many poems that I loved. There were several that I didn't fully connect with. Many poems hit better when read out loud than read silently, altering the enjoyment.
The essays and poetry lessons at the end were interesting, though I felt were a bit slow for me. That said, they were a nice little inclusion. The writer even included some recommendations at the end.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poetry

A book of selected poems covering various topics. All of the poems were brief and easy to follow along without needing to try to figure out the meaning. My favorite was Tell Them the Whole Truth.

#GoodreadsGiveaway

[Valeta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poetry

I received “The Humbling and Other Poems" by Robert Tiess from Goodreads giveaway. This book includes a nice collection of poems, Robert's Eleven M’s of Poetry, a poetry words glossary, some poetry reading suggestions and a list of Poets to consider. On
page 203 he wrote "Each poet makes choices for reasons we may never wholly grasp. I completely respect that and recognize how rich and varied those choices help to make the geography of poetry’s world wonderfully varied and fascinating. How tedious it would be if everyone wrote the same, and utterly plainly so, in a verbal flatland of vapid verse."
I agree, similar with songs, where the writer has its own meaning, and the listener has it's own interpretation. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. It inspires me to read more poetry.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun to mix in poetry to my usual reading choices!

[Book Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Humbling and Other Poems by Robert J. Tiess is expansive, intricate, and a well-developed poetry collection. While this collection has been arranged in seven parts, its poems can be read in any order and cover many things in life’s journey. There is a kindness and gentleness to Tiess’ work that resonates on a human level, and in turn, gives itself beautifully to the reader. The “Addenda” towards the end of the collection is its own little marvel, and truthfully, if there’s anything I could do differently regarding my initial reading of this collection, it’s that I would read the closing section first.

One poem I especially enjoyed was “Amid the Jersey Turnpike Whales.” As someone who has driven on that cursed road myself, I still remember my first time on the turnpike and Tiess’ poeticizing of it to an ocean is, for me, enormously memorable. Visceral, the scene depicted quickly burrows itself inside your skin. You can taste the exhaust, the gravel, even the cold itself. And then, there’s the rain—Tiess’s chosen equalizer in dreaming the turnpike to an ocean. All of this, contrasted with the peace, warmth, and light of returning home to dryness and comfort, makes this poem a summoning of rest specific to home. And that’s the thing about this collection—while you might not be able to connect with every single poem in it, there’s still something in this book for everyone.

Further, I enjoyed seeing Tiess branching out in his use of form and space (ex: “Deepmost”). I reveled in the opportunity to see him break free from form and let live. Nevertheless, there are times when this sudden liberation causes the opposite to occur. In “Elsewhere in the Coffee House…,” it feels as if Tiess is almost trying to overcompensate for the poem’s unwinding nature by tensing and coiling it back into itself. Tiess is bold with his poems and his language hits a delightful, vital literary octave that only a true poet can touch in their writing.

The Humbling and Other Poems is a well-constructed, and thoughtful creation which not only brings people joy, but also serves to make the world a better place simply by existing.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book. There were poems of all types and levels. They are thought provoking and creatively designed, painting incredible scenes through mere words. Talented writer.

[Mallory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. … WOW!
I… have no words. … I just started - and reached the end of this book (though I jumped around throughout it and have several to go back and read yet)…
These poems are BEAUTIFUL… inspiring … soul-touching (if that’s a thing?)… I mean.. these really spoke to me, in a deep and profound kind of way. And.. based on what the poems were, and what they made me feel… I am (1) exhilarated to know that somebody out there, who is alive today!, speaks the language of my very spirit, and (2) PRAYING that these words find their way into the hearts of as MANY people as possible! … and, I guess (2a) ~ hoping that others will feel inspired and lifted up by these words, and will take them as a call to action …! ~ it’s what I am inclined to do! And I hope to see you all there!!

Wow, man. . . WOW! 💛💛💛💛💛

[Edie Walls · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed many of these poems. Many teetered on the edge of ambiguity and not necessarily in a good way - it's telling, I think, that the poem I remember the most clearly was the one about computer chess, a specific topic. I thought the supplemental material was interesting. It's clear the author has a great love for poetry, which I appreciate.

[Lucy Gould · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a free ebook in a goodreads giveaway!

Beautiful and thoughtful poems. I look forward to exploring this poet's work more.

[Ruth York · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had received an electronic copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway. When I applied my own personal method of rating poetry/short story collections, it came to 3 stars. However, there were enough really wonderful poems in this collection that that I felt it deserved to be at least 4. (Just shows, my method isn't perfect, LOL!) How I normally rate these types of books, I give each piece a rating, then average them. Of the 106 poems, there were 11 five stars, 32 four stars, 37 three stars, 24 two stars, and 2 single stars. However, the 5 stars I REALLY liked. One I'd have rated over 5 if possible. The following are my 5 stars:
-Tell Them the Whole Truth (my absolute favorite of this collection!)
-Now I've Become a Butterfly
-The Unpaved Road (I love unpaved roads, literal and figural)
-Epitaph
-Behold
-The Halcyon Days
-Prayer for the Voices of Resistance
-The Phoenix Way
-The Gravity Beyond Our Blame
-To the Spirit of My Lion Father
-The War Within

There were others I liked very well, just not quite 5 stars. At least on this reading. Poetry I have found really depends on at what state I myself am in.

[H.R. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh lord

Goodreads giveaway...

Your book is titled "and other poems"... I do not need, or want, half of the book to be your background/biography, a few essays on your work, or recommendations of poets. I also do not need or want a chunk of the book to be you rambling on being a dictionary about poetry terms! Sir! You talked of wishing poetry to be more valued and sought out, but people don't need to know what a limerick is to find it fun or understand what alliteration is to know the same sound or letter repeated gives the piece a different flow. Let the poetry speak for itself.

Your poems had me rating this a 4.5, but your choice to ramble on and give so much unneeded info when you could have had more poetry dropped you to 1.5. I added half a point for some of the poets you recommend (I adore seeing and a Lovelace mentioned). Please, more poetry. Less rambling.

[Casarah Nance · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do enjoy poetry, as this writer seems to as well, for there is variety in his writes. There are poets who stick to one topic or form, and after time ot becomes tedious to read. This book had a lot of selections that were enjoyable to read and varied.
About 60 percent into this book, the author switches to a biography, and then a few essays, like a preaching of why poetry is awesome. I applaud the gusto, but felt it wasn't necessary. If you're reading a poetry book, odds are you get the lingo.

As for the poems, I enjoyed them very well. I have a fondness for poets who put themselves out there, it is an understated field at times.

I won this through goodreads giveaway and I appreciate the opportunity to read and review it.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poetry has never been my thing. I get frustrated with it because most of the time I don’t understand what a poem is saying, or what it means. They’re like riddles, riddles I can never solve. Reading the poems in this book was not much different for me compared to my past experiences reading poetry.
Near the end of this book the author wrote a little about himself, a couple of essays, and almost like a crash course in poetry that I wish was in the beginning of this book instead of the end. I enjoyed reading all of this, and it brought by rating from 2 to 3 stars. The brief poetry lesson actually inspires me to read poetry more, and be more open-minded about it.
I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway; thank you!

[Chilsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am giving this book 4 stars, this was a very enjoyable read. The poetry is very lovely and fun to read. It took me longer than usual to read this, only because I read and reread many poems. I really enjoyed these writings because it talks of a lot things we go through in life and they have that positive impact on these issues. The only thing I would say I didn’t like about it was the fact that with a good majority of the poems have to be read a couple times to get a good sense of its meaning. Which isn’t a bad thing, I guess it is more a me thing. I hope you give it a read for yourself.

[Bridget's Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a GoodReads giveaway book. I absolutely loved the poems in this book. I also appreciated the essays at the end that explain the inspiration behind the works. The flow and rhythm of the poems is so good! I can't really explain why, but many of the poems reminded me of the flow that Lin-Manuel Miranda seems to go with for some of his faster moving lyrics. I highly recommend this to poetry lovers!

[Kathleen Babb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never liked poetry when it was required reading in school. I think because for the most part, I didn't understand or get what the author was trying to portray. I was pleasantly surprised to find I did enjoy almost all of the poetry in the this book. I appreciated and understood what the author was saying in his writings. I also learned a lot in the book ending about the different types of poetry and the fact that this author also had trouble with the meaning in some other author's poetry.

[Muamer Bektic · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know, I really don't. The whole way through I couldn't really get into any of the poems. None of them really sparked any emotions for me. I also like to read poems out loud when I'm reading them to slow down, and some of them I just couldn't figure out the correct way to read them. By the end of the poetry section, I had no desire to read the short essays at the end. I really hate to leave a negative review on something I can tell the author worked really hard on, but I just can't really find something I enjoyed.

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so glad to have the opportunity to review The Humbling and Other Poems. I have had the desire to start reading poetry for years. I finally jumped in and read this wonderful group of poems. There are too many to count of poems that are written that really touched my heart or made me smile, or opened my eyes. I am so glad I received this book as my debut book of poems. I am definitely a new fan of poetry!

[Alexa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wasn't excited to pick up and continue reading

I won this poetry book and tried my hardest to continue reading. I didn't fall in love with the poems and they weren't for me. The poet knows how to write and there are plenty of different styles inside, but none of these really spoke to me. I would say based upon the contexts within, I would recommended this to writers, poets, and older adults.

[Rachael Crabb · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Humbling and Other Poems”by Robert J. Tiess is a heartfelt collection of poetry. Each poem dives into themes like personal growth, humility, and the human experience. Tiess's writing is clear and evocative, making it easy for readers to connect with the emotions and insights shared. This book is perfect for anyone who enjoys thoughtful and relatable poetry that speaks to life's ups and downs.

[Kab Vaj · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway. I thought the poems were very interesting and different from all other poems I’ve read. I enjoyed reading the different poems. It was very interesting reading the author journey to writing poems and publishing them. I also thought sharing different poets at the back of the book was. Wry resourceful.