Blog Archives
AmerAsian: My Journey to Becoming Whole as a Mixed Korean-American
Kimberly McAfee’s AmerAsian is a heartfelt collection of poems that moves through childhood pain, cultural confusion, and the long climb toward self-acceptance. The book unfolds in three sections: The Beginning, An Emotional Journey, and Sweet Self-Acceptance. Each poem reads like a small window into McAfee’s soul. Through vivid imagery and references to Korean folklore, mythology, and family memories, she traces her path as a biracial woman learning to embrace both halves of herself. The voice is deeply personal, sometimes tender, sometimes raw, always honest. By the end, what began as a record of struggle becomes a love letter to identity, belonging, and transformation.
Some poems stung with their simplicity, like Monsters Within and My Collection, which capture the ache of growing up different in a world that craves sameness. Others, like A Bittersweet Return and Dokdo, filled me with quiet awe, showing how home can be both a place and a feeling. McAfee’s words don’t hide behind complexity. They’re plain, heartfelt, and striking because of that. The mix of personal reflection and mythological imagery made me pause more than once.
What stayed with me most was her voice. It’s gentle yet unflinching. She doesn’t pretend the road to self-love is easy. She admits to doubts, to shame, to hoping that a plane ride to Seoul might fix what was broken. It didn’t, and that honesty hit hard. When she finally finds peace in her own identity, the relief is contagious. I loved that she never forces resolution. Instead, she lets acceptance come quietly, like a sunrise after a long night. The rhythm of her poems felt natural, unpolished in the best way. There’s a vulnerability in that, a truth that can’t be faked.
I’d recommend AmerAsian to anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t fit anywhere. Mixed-race readers, immigrants, or anyone searching for self-understanding. It’s a mirror for people who’ve lived between cultures, between expectations, between who they were and who they’re becoming. McAfee’s writing may be simple, but her emotions run deep.
Pages: 60 | ASIN : B0BZSK5W6F
Clouded Thoughts
The hassle of a daily commute, the often delayed appreciation for our parents, the danger of defining yourself by others’ standards- all of these subjects and more are tackled by author Michael Froilan in his poetry collection Clouded Thoughts. Froilan hits the ground running from the first page, jumping headfirst into poems that display a refreshing honesty, not to mention more than their fair share of vulnerability. While some of the poems read quickly and then float away with the breeze, some stay with you well after you’ve turned the page.
Clouded Thoughts has its pages filled with almost as many styles as it does subjects. Froilan writes poems that read like a paragraph, ones with a rhyming pattern, and some as short as a single thought. His shortest ones are, in fact, some of the strongest and are reminiscent of daily affirmations, words to be spoken in the mornings as intentions for the day. Likewise, the tone of the poems is all over the spectrum. There is no shortage of “chip on the shoulder” cynicism to be found here, but in equal turns are the many that are uplifting and inspiring.
Froilan manages to find the balance between social commentary and political statements, a precarious line that not many can navigate. Many of his poems bring current events and societal issues to light but never once does he beat you over the head with them, preferring, it would seem, to make his points with a degree of subtlety.
Although many of the poems in this collection are written with a sense of level-headed realism, a few employ imagery and analogy to elevate them to an another level. Lines such as “My pillows are covered in dreams and anxiety, What a surprise, I can’t fall asleep” paint such a vivid picture of the writer’s struggles at that moment and does so in an artfully entertaining way. These moments shine and show Froilan’s writing at its best.
Clouded Thoughts is a thought-provoking and engaging collection of poetry. Even through the cynicism and the angst, the resounding message is to love yourself, trust yourself, and define yourself on your terms only. The urging for self-confidence shines through even in the poems that don’t address it, making the book an unexpected comfort.
Pages: 102 | ASIN : B08WP8N2GN
The Indian Farmers Protest
Sir-Inder Deol’s inspirational book of poetry, The Indian Farmers Protest: The Resistance Collection, is a beautifully-penned collection honoring the brave individuals who dared to try to change the course of events in their country. Cover to cover, Deol conveys their struggle, the intense opposition they encountered, and their resolute determination and perseverance. As they stood on the precipice of what has quickly been recognized as the largest ever organized protest in history, the participants made an impact that will last a lifetime.
Deol’s poems cover every aspect of the process, from the protesters’ own hesitations to their eagerness to institute change. While a narrative would have been sufficient to tell this story, it could never have delivered the same force as Deol’s verse. The imagery he creates in each and every poem is stunningly beautiful while at the same time heart-wrenching. The common man is not forgotten in Deol’s work; from the first poem to the last, the farmers and supporters are given center stage.
There is a certain kind of healing rather than comfort that comes from reading Deol’s work. In addition, his poetry stirs within readers a desire to make a difference, stand up for themselves, and unite as one for the common good. In the beginning, under note from the author, Deol states, “You would be misplaced in thinking I have written this work as a source of comfort; on the contrary, this literature aims to invoke and inspire the hidden inner rebel that lies within us all.” Deol has not only delivered a masterpiece, but he has also documented and shared a phenomenally significant piece of history.
The Indian Farmers Protest: The Resistance Collection is a powerful collection of poetry that will captivate those looking for a unique account of the history of Farmers Protest, lovers of all poetry, and those that honor the warriors that fight for humanity.
Pages: 81 | ASIN : B09PKK62YP
LITERARY TITAN 