BOOK REVIEW: I AM A HOME TO BUTTERFLIES BY J ALCHEM

Publication Date: December 17th 2018
Publisher: AdProm Media
Pages: 247, Kindle Edition
Links: Goodreads | Amazon India
Stars: 3/5
Source: Review Copy

Blurb: A captain sinks with his ship, then why cannot a lover?This collection of poetry is all about you and me, but I am afraid it will no longer be about ‘you and me’ once a reader picks it up. It will then be about them only.  It will be all about the one they loved like thunder, about the one they struggled hard to keep, about the one who had left them in the middle of their ‘forever’, about their world shattering into pieces, about them gluing together every piece, and about them falling in love one more time. And if you still think it is about you and me, you haven’t loved someone like thunder, yet.

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“Your own love is more than enough for you.”

‘A home to butterflies’ by J Alchem is an ensemble of poems reflecting ruminations on Life, Love, Pain, Obstacles, Break-ups, Awakening, Wisdom and love again. The structure of poetry narration in this book sways far from the regular pattern but it’s successful, nonetheless. The author’s charismatic word-play pleads with his lover’s attention, oozing of reality and digging deep into the souls of the readers. The poetry inevitably leaves a mark in our hearts.

What really stuck with me were the letters, yes, there is a second section comprising of letters to an ex-lover. Delving into numerous areas and leaning towards a much darker side, this part was the clear winner of the two. Like the author’s previous book, ‘Undelivered Letters’ had a power-packed impact on me; this book had quite the same effect. The raw magnetism of the letters call for tears and the heart bleeds for the wounded soul.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed all the pieces, the method felt monochromatic to tell a story through a poem. Maybe some pictorial metaphors would benefit the poetry on a major level. That is probably my only qualm with the poems but the letters have a stormy ending worth waiting for.

My favourite pieces from the book:

“The way
you love people
is how
you actually want to be loved
back.”
…
“Few pieces
Of our souls
Were misplaced
With others
Before
We were born.
And our whole life
We try to
Find them
In every person
We meet.”
…
“Out of the one
She loves
And the one
Who loved her
She chose the one
The society had
Permitted.”
…
“The wrong one
Will teach you
How to spread
Your legs
But the right one
Will teach you
How to spread
Your wings”

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Notes:

• I was given a copy of the book by the author for an honest and unbiased review.
• The blurb is borrowed from Goodreads.

BOOK REVIEW: INDELIBERATE DELIBERATIONS BY SHIVANSH UMATT

Publication date: December 11th, 2017
Publisher: Maple Press
Pages: 66, Paperback
Links: Goodreads | Amazon India
Stars: 3/5
Source: Review Copy

Blurb: Indeliberate Deliberations is a collection of heartfelt poems, twenty in total on various themes.The book is divided into four broad themes – Latency, Abyss, Frost and Froth and Gory Musings. The poems borrow the recently popular art of free verse poetry, with no fixed structure. They express emotions, deal with heartbreaks, reminisce in the nature, or dance with the tunes of silent cacophonies. Composed within a short time frame of one year, you will surely relate to this tiny collection of short poems.

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“Your tiny heart was pounding and

Your large bones were drumming

Against your coarse skin and

Your texture felt like rubble and

Your lungs puffed out air like

they’ve been waiting for so long.”

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‘Indeliberate Deliberations’ is classified into four parts with respective themes: Latency, Abyss, Frost and Froth and Gory Musings. The writing style adapted in this book is basically free-verse poetry and one cannot help but picture the poet slamming it on stage (Slam Poetry form). The combination of powerful words and pertinent imagery transports compassion and empathy through your bones till the very end.

My Take:

Under the theme – Abyss, there are five poems, namely, Flowery Grave, Bereavement, Incurable, Black is Beautiful and Ignorance. The central idea of the theme inculcated in these poems revolves around unfulfilled desires, yearnings of the soul, loss and hopelessness. The poet has cleverly contrived to incorporate vivid imagery and brilliant use of pin-pricking metaphors. Admirably, he brings the reader to their knees, sympathizing with the rupture of every feeling. The key elements that magnanimously contribute to the poems are technical devices like repetition and enjambments.

Latency – Misidentification, Scraps of Poetry, Hollow Memory and Mosaic

Again, you can see excellent use of writing techniques and he’s put the tools of the trade to optimal use. But too much wordiness can be the downfall of a poem. However, one could spot the ingenious classification of senses in connection with the poem – Scraps of Poetry. A similar technique can be found in Hollow Memory where he plays on the elemental connections. Although I couldn’t help but notice references like ‘Colors of the Wind’ from the famous Pocahontas song, there seems to be a steady rhythm of reflection and refinement in these poems.

Frost and Froth – Changing Colors, Breathlessness, River of Love, Callings of the Night, Learnings, Hyperbole, Silence and Turmoil

The poems under this theme are a play on nature’s beauty in synchronization with human emotions, scrutiny, suffocation, frosty relationships and pain. There are many references to darkness, the coldness of the soul, loneliness and maybe a hint of supernatural elements. Some radiate positivity through the battle cry – carpe diem, while the others lean toward a volley of rambling emotions. The poet could’ve avoided the overuse of blunt and cliched metaphors in certain places to add more precision to his poetry.

Gory Musings – Unforgivable, I’m Not A Poet and Equivocal Truth

I found the poems to be physically explorative with vivid imagery but not gory in the literal sense. The only flaw was the unidimensional pattern of telling a story through the poetry. However, the collective vibes of angst, frustration and denial add vibrancy to the poems.

Final Note:

There’s an abundance of talent in this sixteen-year-old who has penned down some bafflingly astounding poetry and he has a long way to go. Honestly, I’m hoping to read more of his poetry and witness the evolution of his writing style.

 

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Notes:

• I was given a copy of the book by The Book Planet PR for an honest and unbiased review.
• The blurb is borrowed from Goodreads.

#4 Tuesday’s Writings

Roses,
coddle thorns,
bleed,
coercive thoughts,
narrate,
luminescent dreams,
scolding petals,
afloat.

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The writing prompts for #4 Tuesday’s Writings are: Coddle, Scold, and Coercive 

Rocks will heal

Summer’s when seas gleam
cerulean folds lick stone,
they beam,
on their own.

Tiny limbs sands greet
make patterns rhyme,

Sway heartbeat
heal wounds with time,

Sea-foam resonates pain
larks stagger moan,
seems like eternal fame
might just turn to stone.

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This post is a part of this week’s IndiSpire prompt: Do you like writing poetry? Bring out the poetess/poet in you! Share any of your poems. #Poem

Out for Blood

Chalk-dust assault
raw paws scratch claws,

garble gauche games
mavericks salvage many,

say that fate thanks
martyr masks mate,

master impanel slaves
crazed craters rave,

gators gamble graves
laughter ramble paves,

snakes wait farther east
lakes baiting salty sands,

tarry about fairer faces
scary as asphalt races,

stakes may harden brains
pray spare raging manes.

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The writing prompts for #3 Tantalizing Tuesday Tete-Tete’s are: martyr, garble, and impanel.