The Dark Side Of Love One Year Anniversary Edition by SaDee Hodge

SaDee has come back with a special one year edition of her first poetry collection and honestly it is still a collection I can read, sit and reflect and think of how incredible the strength of a person can be every time. Some stand out poems to me of this collection were: No Contact, was a simple poem by named concept, but shows the way negative love can still haunt you, the way a simple break up would or could do. Each poem especially that follows almost reads ethereal upon reaching the point where reflection on the relationship feels haunting and leaves you in disbelief over what you actually faced and survived. Goodbye, especially, was such a finite poem seeing all the negatives and turn point on reflection too and how it can make you fear moving on to face the unknown future ahead. Warrior, was a poignant poem, to me SaDee is a warrior for facing down fear and harm and writing through the pain, owning it and writing warning others of what can happen in relationships. The title poem leaves on a haunting ending, a closure of a dark chapter indeed and just reinforces the strength of a woman to walk away and rebuild after such experiences.

Not All In by Parm K.C.

This poetry collection was so rich in the metaphors of burnt out candles and car crashes about narcissistic people you can encounter and the silent courage to fight your mind daily through anxiety and panic attacks that can seem terrifyingly deadly when they occur, a truly realistic series of descriptive poetry surrounding these topics as well as some other poetry that stood out being: The Paradox Of A Lonely Heart, was such a relatable poem between wanting to be alone and craving the right people and the juxtaposition you can save in such mixed feelings A poem about bring introverted and speaking when it matters only because that someone chooses to listen, really hit hard because it's so true people listen when they care and block when they don't truly. Holding Hands With Sadness, about how you can feel deeply destined you believe, to never truly feel happy. I Save The Best, about saving your finest clothes for the future you to enjoy when you feel worthy, was a deep and relatable poem because I used to do the same! 86,400 seconds in a day, this poem was so deeply moving about depression and anxiety and the way fears manifest and linger constantly in your mind throughout the day like you're living in a nightmare constantly with time running out, a really clever poem.

Catching: a Poetry Collection by Alyssa Gibson

This poetry collection focuses at the start on how love especially lack of from a parent growing up can feel like you were just a burden but how the right person in your life can make everything feel easy, healing and like every piece of art you adore come to life. There were lots of beautiful poems about becoming stronger from the wrong kind of relationship that can build you stronger in your sense of self and make you sure of the love for you first before loving another.

Quiet : Poetry for the Ones Who Sit with Silence by Jupiter M. Moon

This was a beautiful collection looking at everyday life moment's and the movement's and feelings they evoke. Some stand out poems to me were: One Text, about chance and the way it can be fleeting, opening or closing a chapter of life. Winter's Touch, about the way a snowflake can feel as tender as human touch. As The Petal Flies, was a whimsical poem of the beautiful fragility of an unending path where the future is invisible and unpredictable just like flowers shed petals falling into new parts of their life alike we fall and rise too. A metaphor rich collection focusing on the beauty the natural world provides and the way it mirrors the human experience too at times.

Please Look into the Mirror by Michaela Angemeer

This was a great poetry collection, especially from using the way glass and mirror's are reflective surfaces and they way we can observe ourselves through or in them and the way we can see ourselves in distorted ways through our own skewed perceptions or through the environment we grew up in and judgement we faced. I also loved the ending poem and talk about Bea, their dog and how pets can provide joy and light through the darkest of times and help you see the beauty around you and within you too, another mirror, a loving one of you.

Whispers That Stayed by T.Euke

This book was beautiful in talking about the way those that pass remain, the way thing's they said can linger in our thoughts and thing's we see happening around us can cause us to be reminded of them and believe they're signs of them still being with us in a way that they stay with us forever in small ways shaping us as we live on always remembering.

Her Hands Remember Fire: Poems on Healing, Survival, and Becoming by Adisa Noor

This was such an emotionally rich collection of poetry that I found so many relatable including: Healing Is Not Pretty, a poem about how losing people and wounds of the past can linger and make you find your strength and resilience to carry on and protect your peace. The Art Of Stillness, a beautiful poem about the simplicity of just being and not feeling the pressure of constantly needing to be on and doing something draining yourself all the time. Naming Joy, about the feeling of joy and letting it be allowed to happen after putting others before yourself. The Woman I Am Now, was a fantastic poem of empowerment and the way finding peace and silence that comforts you over making you feel lonely. The Language Of Light, was a poem about the beauty and grace light can provide whether natural or artificial and the comfort surrendering you to calm and hope in the hue. It was truly a beautiful well rounded collection of moments drawing emotion in mundane often overlooked situations.

The Darkness Within: An Emotional Poetry Collection of healing from Childhood Abuse by Becky Leigh Gregg

This poetry collection really delves into the deepness of our own individual experiences as humans. Some stand out poems to me were: It Could Have Been Worse, how such a simple phrase can diminish someone's feelings about their pain. The Moon, about the way the moon can be a guard and beauty of nature in the night a comforting presence Are You, was a poem of how you can want to question anyone not helping but still witnessing someone going through an incredibly tough and low time and just stand by and not get involved. This collection is not only a vulnerable honest read, it also shows how simple kindness could change someone's life and experience for the better if we all dare to be more compassionate and kind.

When The Soul Learns To Bloom by Pratima Baro

This collection really leans in to finding the every day beauty in the nature of the world around us ever changing even simply day to night and how love and grief can make us see the world in an altered state to appreciate pain for loving deeply and finding a way to cope and find hope again.

The Words I Could Never Say by Yogesh Chandra

This poetry collection perfectly sums up how you can struggle to be seen for the depths of your emotions are drowning and unending it feels like when no one else can understand why or how you feel the way you do, perfectly fitting the title indeed this collection was.