These Hands That Hold The World

by Xyvah Okoye

"These Hands That Hold The World" is a collection which deals with mortality, grief, and other matters of life.

Through a mix of poetry and prose, Okoye expresses emotions of love and loss in a simple yet vulnerable way, sharing pieces of a broken heart while whispering to the reader that they are not alone.

It is a brave polyphony of darkness and light and hope and heartache written in a language every soul understands.

156 pages, Hardcover

First published October 20, 2014

About the author

Xyvah Okoye is known for her love for Christ, encouraging the saints of God through her books to have a deeper and more personal experience with God.

After giving her life to the Lord as a teenager, Xyvah grew to understand the importance of a good relationship with Christ and the far-reaching effects it has on one's life. In exoeriencing the love of God intimately, she found the best way she could express this love and encourage others to experience it for themselves was through her books.

Reviews

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

These were very heartfelt and personal, providing room for thought and reflection on our own lives. I appauld the author for their courage to share these with the world, as some poems in particular were very sensitive and raw. They were written beautifully. I recommend reading this collection if you enjoy poetry! Another potential one sitting read.

[Hayley Anderton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection digs deep and the author lays it all out in such a raw way. Poetry is often so personal and relatable and though I didn’t relate to everything I read here I did feel it through the author’s words. A great collection!

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew! This poetry collection is honest and real throughout, delving into some tough topics but also interspersed with hope. I had to pause reading at times because I wasn’t in a space to read some of the heavier themes. But I don’t think the pause was a bad thing. Sometimes it’s good to have time to digest poems. I can’t recall which poem it was, but one had me say, “wow” out loud…which is one of my markers of good work. 😂 The illustration and formatting is beautiful in this book, too. It really adds to the vibe of the work. ❤️

[Claire O'Connor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This cerebral collection of poetry and prose is one of pain and recovery, hurt and betrayal, and coming of age. The author has depicted some pretty heavy events and spilled blood on the page. Some stunner lines made me pause for reflection.

I find the double line spacing format a bit jarring for some of the pieces, but I guess that's personal opinion.

I'm looking forward to reading Xyvah's fiction/novels.

[☆~Shea~☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A huge thank you goes out to the Indie Visible Services book tour and Xyvah Okoye for the opportunity to read this incredible book! I feel so lucky to have been introduced to this body of work and can honestly say that Xyvah has become one of my all-time favorite poets. I look forward to reading more of her books in the future!

I poured through this collection of poems in a single evening. Xyvah's writing is achingly raw and beautifully evocative. I felt her emotions as if they were my own, and each piece, each line, left me feeling as if I'd been entrusted with parts of Xyvah's very heart and soul. It was a wonderful experience, and the way words, sentences, and structure all married together felt effortless to read and intentional without feeling stiff or limited. Each piece was very individual, yet worked with all the rest to paint a rich picture of Xyvah's life and experiences.

[Chiedozie Omeje · Rating 5 out of 5]

In These Hands That Hold The World, Xyvah lays out a portrait of life as it comes to us. Reading this, I found that questions are normal, and comfort can still exists even without answers. Like other books from her, Xyvah donated more than a sprinkle of her life's experiences to help the reader understand that feelings like anxiety and confusion are the reasons meanings are meaningful. The ultimate beauty of this book lies in how Xyvah redecorates vulnerability in her readers' minds by helping them realize that there's nothing wrong in the inability to help what can't be helped. The feeling this book gives at the end is the enduring satisfaction that someone understands you. And that's in short supply these day.

[Artekate · Rating 5 out of 5]

These Hands That Hold the World is a collection of poems about grief, sorrow, pain and love that the poet entwines with the human condition. Some of the poems were so relatable to me that I couldn’t help thinking “it sounds like what I would have written.” All the poems are raw with emotion. There is something for everyone in it.