tell me then
about all these changes
the life imagined
a place of familiarity
where
problems
no
longer
exist
tell me about
how we came here
the wrongdoings
of our actions
and we no longer
dream of the
life imagined
tell me then
how love no longer
lives in our homes
and about the times
we forgot to live
because we became
so busy in our minds
hello everyone! i am here today with a poetry book haul. i was gifted a barnes and noble gift-card for christmas and was like ” P O E T R Y B O O K S !!!” lol so without further ado lets get started!
Sea of Strangers by Lang LeavSynopsis: Sea of Strangers by Lang Leav picks up from her previous international bestselling books including Love & Misadventure, Lullabies, and The Universe of Us, and sets sail for a grand new adventure.
This completely original collection of poetry and prose will not only delight her avid fans but is sure to capture the imagination of a whole new audience. With the turn of every page, Sea of Strangers invites you to go beyond love and loss to explore themes of self-discovery and empowerment as you navigate your way around the human heart.
the boys i’ve loved & the end of the world by catarine hancockSynopsis: ‘the boys i’ve loved and the end of the world’ is the long awaited poetry and prose collection by catarine hancock, popularly known by the user “evanescent.love” on instagram. known for writing unique, raw and captivating pieces on everything from love and politics, to abuse and womanhood, catarine knows how to tug at both your heartstrings and your mind.
cover art by mikaela bailey.
from scars to beauty by nicki naomiSynopsis: From Scars to Beauty is a poetry collection based on the epiphanies of a woman as she heads down the road to self-discovery during a difficult time in her marriage. She is blind sighted by the events of her traumatic childhood that rushed back to her during the process, although she had been pushing them aside for many years. She begins to write, hoping to organize her thoughts. Instead what she found was: truth, healing, a reborn passion, a voice, forgiveness and most of all, herself.
soft in the middle by shelby eileenSynopsis:
“there are so many words I’ve left unsaid
so instead of going another year or five or ten
in brutal, crushing silence
don’t waste this opportunity
don’t be scared when the full weight of my heart
tests the strength of your hands
I’m trusting you with something I barely trust myself with
this knowing
this telling
this momentous uprooting
I’m here
I am
I am right here in these words”
A debut poetry collection about love, heartbreak, body image, how absolutely breathtaking girls are, flower blooms and starlight.
Lovely Seeds by R.H. SwaneySynopsis: ‘Lovely Seeds’ is a collection of poetry that touches on the topics of mental health, self-love, and loving others with bite-size pieces that are meant to provoke thought and self-exploration.
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oh monsters
oh monsters
come to me
and show me
the secrets that
lurk beneath
oh monsters
oh monsters
in the dark
we sing
about ghost
who haunt
our dreams
oh monsters
oh monsters
come to eat
we have plenty
to share
and the sorrow
you need
oh monsters
oh monsters
i have in me
they scream
and shout
begging to be
f r e e
Hey all!!! I am still trying to get into the swing of things with coming back to blogging. Life’s been a little hard and just out of the loop. Having family here from PR amongst other personal things, I feel like stability isn’t quite by my side. Anyways! I’ve read poetry in October and I don’t really have much to say but READ IT lol. All of these are 5 star reviews! So without further ado, let’s get started!
Title: soft in the middle
Author: Shelby Lafreniere
synopsis: Warning: these poems contain soft subject matter. About love, heartbreak, body image, how absolutely breathtaking girls are, flower blooms and starlight.
This is a small sampling of poems from my larger collection called ‘soft in the middle’, available for free download here.
Currently, soft in the middle is a small sampling of poems from shelby’s larger collection that is to come. This sample previews 25 poems filled with self-reflection, heartbreak, family, darkness, stardust, and other topics. I cannot wait for the full collection because this sampler was amazing. I felt like Shelby really put her feelings and emotions all on paper. Her poetry reflects different parts of her and I can’t imagine what else she has in store with the full collection. here’s one of the poems (format changed a little because of the blog):
THE LANGUAGE OF STARS
she looks up at the night sky
and often finds that what she sees
is what she feels inside
when the stars float brightly
she thinks
breathing is like swimming
the water holds me so gently
the weight of everything
is easy to hold
when the clouds cloak the world in darkness
she thinks
it’s getting harder
to dream
of possibility
Title: the sun and her flowers
Author: Rupi Kaur
synopsis: Divided into five chapters and illustrated by Kaur, the sun and her flowers is a journey of wilting, falling, rooting, rising, and blooming. A celebration of love in all its forms.
this is the recipe of life
said my mother
as she held me in her arms as i wept
think of those flowers you plant
in the garden each year
they will teach you
that people too
must wilt
fall
root
rise
in order to bloom
Trigger Warnings: Rape, Harm
OMG THIS COLLECTION HAD ME A BALL OF TEARS!!!! I loved this one more than Milk and Honey to be completely honest. the sun and her flowers is a poetry collection divided into 5 different sections and each section is dedicated to a certain theme. This book has poems filled with heartbreak, self-love, immigration, family, culture, friendships, growing, learning, and on and on and on. This collection is raw and simple. Her poems go straight to the point. I connected so much to the heartbreak poems, immigration poems, and family poems. As a woman of color myself, the poems where Rupi talks about her family coming here from another country really hit home for me. It made me cry but smile at the same time because to see that a woman of color is talking about these things, our struggles here on a land that doesn’t really want us made me feel like “wow someone other than me gets it”. here’s a poem:
they have no idea what it is like
to lose home at the risk of
never finding home again
to have your entire life
split between two lands and
become the bridge between two countries
– immigrant
Title: Pillow Thoughts
Author: Courtney Peppernell
synopsis: Make a cup of tea and let yourself feel.
Pillow Thoughts is a collection of poetry and prose about heartbreak, love, and raw emotions. It is divided into sections to read when you feel you need them most.
Trigger Warnings: Self-Harm, Suicide Ideation
Another favorite poetry collection added to the list of favorites that keeps piling up. This collection is divided into 10 different sections: if you are dreaming of someone, if you are in love, if you are heartbroken, if you are lonely, if you are sad, if you are missing someone, if you need encouragement, if you are soul-searching, if you need a reason to stay, these are for you. I was moved by so many of these poems, I felt Courtney’s emotions through each section which all flowed beautifully. Her poetry is filled with love, sadness, despair, loneliness, and positivity. To me, her words were simply pure. I cannot wait to read more by this author! here’s a poem:
Of all the important things you must do today, there is none
greater than showing kindness to your heart. For even the
brightest make mistakes and the wisest do not have a thing
to say. Be gentle with yourself, forgive yourself, even on your
darkest day.
instagram: @chicnerdreads
twitter: @chicnerdreads
i take a few steps
back to look at the
scenery before me.
i wonder if maybe
i should spew the
words my heart
so much desires.
the scenery looks
like a wildfire filled
with disastrous
complications.
the scenery looks
to be filled with
more problems
than peace.
the scenery looks
like pain and
heartache.
the scenery looks
like a dead end
leading to absolutely
n o w h e r e .
these words will
only add more
fuel to a fire that
can’t be put out.
– my silence has always been the loudest conversation in the room
i have walked these
dreadful feet through
mud filled with agony,
hate, hurt, burden, and
loss. at the end of
the hard walk, i’ve
still found myself
standing in a dark
tunnel of madness.
the best times for me
are always in my
silence wondering
about nothing. yet,
still figuring myself
out all at the same time.
feeling some type of
comfort after a breath
in those times of needing
myself rather than
anybody else.
because i am loner with a soul and a heart of stone
i would never
suggest you
trying to be me.
for it is tiring
and sometimes
i cannot wrap
the things that
happen in my
brain.
for i always
feel the sense
of loss and
dream of it
often.
i hurt myself
with my own
thoughts.
i hurt myself
with every
moment i
think about
my past.
and when things settle,
there are times that i
don’t know who i am.
and how i got here.
my lover, oh lover,
look what you’ve
done to me.
you’ve captured me
and broken my bones.
i have spilt blood
over you, and the
magic in my veins
has dispersed over the
n o t h i n g n e s s
you and i no
longer hold.
the tether to my soul
has been stripped away.
she says as a ghost
while sinking the
ship he is sailing.
she is the raging dark
storm he never saw coming.
you keep taunting me in my dreams.
if i were a ghost,
i wouldn’t haunt you.
i would haunt the
freedoms i never had
while being with you.
the oceans i never saw with you sing to me.
i have found to be
that love is not
as cruel as people
make it out to be.
that although
painful, it is
worthwhile
to have love.
the love that
you have for
yourself,
within
y o u r s e l f .
the love for
yourself
that carries you
and takes you
across oceans.
a type of self-love
that no one can
take away,
no matter who
comes along.
a love for
yourself
that is worth
breathing in
and living.
a self-love that
you will wade for.
chicnerdreads 