Poetry Book Reviews

Review: Song of a Lotus Leaf by Renhui

Song of a Lotus Leaf by Renhui

With a reverent pen and an enlightened mind, Renhui delivers a restorative collection of poetry with Song of a Lotus Leaf. As the title implies, this is classic meditative poetry about the inherent and simplistic beauty of the world, but there is a strong base of self-examination beneath the surface of these observational pieces.

Acknowledging the clear divide in her years, between lifetimes in China and the United States, she also blurs the lines of experience and memory, making this polished collection both a memoir and a guidebook – a tome of appreciation, presence, and peace. While some of the […]

2022-05-06T06:01:49+02:00March 29th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Review: Rise by Henry Lee Thomas

Broken up into distinct thematic sections – “Love & Family,” “Spiritual & Inspirational,” “Nature,” and “Philosophical & Social” – followed by a short fiction section, Rise: Poetry for Lovers and Thinkers by Henry Lee Thomas covers an impressively wide sprawl of topics and poetic forms.

Some of the pieces follow traditional rhyme schemes in this varied collection, while others are more narrative and free in their flow. The romance-inspired poetry reveals an intense, hot-hearted passion that the poet doesn’t always know how to control. Desperation and deep desire conspire in these poems, along with a see-saw of joy and struggle […]

2022-05-03T07:43:06+02:00March 28th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Review: Penelope and Ulysses by Zenovia

Penelope and Ulysses by Zenovia

An unforgettable story of love, longing, and loss comes to life on a new stage in Penelope and Ulysses by Zenovia. The titular characters have been studied and admired for more than 2,500 years, so any author exploring such legendary lives must bring something truly original to the table, which Zenovia certainly achieves.

This work is written in the style of dramatic verse, with only a handful of acts and scenes, but stunning in its poetic grace and depth of storytelling. The eternal relationship between Ulysses and Penelope is at the forefront, as well as the machinations that led Ulysses […]

2022-03-10T04:16:09+02:00March 9th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Eternal Seconds by Andrew Chiniche

Eternal Seconds by Andrew ChinichePoet Andrew Chiniche celebrates the concepts of magick and sensuality in the embrace of the goddess in his tranquil collection of poems, Eternal Seconds.

Themes of longing for love and the touch of his adored are visceral as each short piece brings forth emotions awash with reverie. Although each piece is meant to be read independently as a work in its own right, the book holds a narrative journey as each page turns, pushing the reader to explore cosmic ideas of time and space. A mystical love affair expands as the seconds tick down, and the poet pays tribute […]

2022-02-22T08:29:51+02:00February 22nd, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Rotten Fruit in an Unkempt Garden by Michael Nanfito

Rotten Fruit in an Unkempt Garden by Michael Nanfito A raw, unusual, and unforgettable memoir, Rotten Fruit in an Unkempt Garden by Michael Nanfito is a collection of personal essays, poetry, art, quotes, and reflections that encapsulate a remarkable life and an inspiring worldview.

Exploring outlaw living, alternative perspectives, and universal themes of lost love and opportunity, this patchwork offering of thoughts and memories is powerful and intimate. The opening section focuses heavily on religion, and Nanfito’s experience with patriarchal betrayals, both psychological and physical, and closes on a damning note: “We’ve yet to evict these faithless landlords / from the spaces that were always ours.” The writing then […]

2022-01-14T06:49:16+02:00January 14th, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: , |

The Living Wound by Shamir Kali Griffin

The Living Wound: Conquering Hope and Loss by Shämir Káli Griffin A stirring collection that feels both ancient and contemporary, The Living Wound: Conquering Hope and Loss (Urban Poetry & Soul Book 4) by Shamir Kali Griffin is a testament to resilience and healing, for individuals and for the world.

Like other books in this powerful series, this is a kaleidoscopic memoir in verse and experimental storytelling. As the title implies, these pieces reveal a myriad of griefs, both great and small, physical and abstract, societal and psychological. Painful confessions and nakedly honest revelations abound: “Today I took a breath praying to die / Hoping that this last one would be […]

2022-01-07T07:20:40+02:00January 7th, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Pricking Balloons by James C. MacDonald

Pricking Balloons by James C. MacDonald A mournful and musing collection of poetry in every form, Pricking Balloons by James C. MacDonald is both existential and immediate, dissecting a myriad of events, ideas, and feelings through his unique lens.

Divided into four sections titled with names of cities, some poems do feel tied to locations, but many others are biblical, philosophical, familial, and nonspecific. The New Orleans pieces feel like poetic questions, touching on sacred words and secret messages, ideals, and beliefs, but there are also intimate snapshot poems of tragedy and change, such as “The Little Girl in the Canal Street Mall” and “Crescent City […]

2022-01-04T11:01:24+02:00January 2nd, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Masters of the Craft by Don Gutteridge

Masters of the Craft by Don Gutteridge A poetic collection dedicated to writers who have changed the world with words, Masters of the Craft by Don Gutteridge is an impressive homage to the written word and a pleasure to read.

From Shakespeare and Shelley to Blake and Wilde, each poem upon these pages honors the skill and impact of a legendary lyricist. Importantly, Gutteridge knows the work of these masters intimately enough to gift them a worthy tribute: “the fury / of his fame could not save him / from the ruin of Reading Gaol / and he perished a pauper in Paris,” or “There isn’t a […]

2021-12-20T09:02:12+02:00December 17th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |
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