Blog Archives
On the Verge
Marie Rickmyer’s On the Verge is a delicate, unflinching collection of poems exploring life, trauma, and family. Each piece drips with nostalgia, capturing the quiet fragility of memory—like a glass pane trembling under the weight of lived experience. Rickmyer invites readers into intimate spaces: kitchens brimming with warmth and chaos, childhoods that linger like faint scars, and moments suspended between joy and sorrow. Here, nostalgia and trauma are not at odds but intertwined, stitched together by subtle, aching beauty—a weight of sunlight, the quiet despair of witnessing your mother as both parent and person.
Reading these poems feels like overhearing deeply personal conversations—tender, raw, and unfiltered. Rickmyer’s words evoke the weariness of her mother, the emptiness left by absence, and the heavy silence of unspoken longings. It is not a collection concerned with life’s grandeur but with its endurance: the sacred moments hidden within the mundane.
From the start, On the Verge captivated me with its thematic focus on memory, trauma, and fractured families. Admittedly, I hesitated at first—the poem structure and style felt unconventional—but the writing quickly grew on me. Each piece unfolded like a film, vivid and visceral, with no pretense or grandiosity. Rickmyer’s simplicity is piercing. Her lines feel less like crafted poetry and more like confessions, whispered truths, or rants from someone intimately familiar. For a moment, you are there—in her mother’s kitchen, at the edge of her grief, alongside flowers bathed in memory—transported not just into her life but, uncannily, into your own. The poems “Pantoum on Mother” and “Elegy for My Brother” are especially powerful, confronting the quiet burdens we carry and the losses we never fully release. Rickmyer captures what we inherit and what we endure, often at the same time. Her language is so personal, her imagery so immediate, that the connection feels inevitable. It resonates deeply, like a shared ache you never realized existed.
Marie Rickmyer’s On the Verge holds a quiet power, subtle yet relentless, like a stream carving its path through stone. By the final poem, I felt as though I had lived through a lifetime of someone else’s struggles and small victories. It is a book I will return to—a companion for moments when I need to be reminded of the quiet beauty of endurance. On the Verge is intensely personal yet strangely familiar, as though Rickmyer isn’t just telling her story but yours, too. It is a testament to the weight of memory and the tenderness of survival—an unforgettable offering of truth, nostalgia, and fragile beauty.
Pages: 74 | ASIN : B0DFMVG9DD
The Edges
Caro Henry’s The Edges is a beautifully layered anthology that feels like a delicate weaving of the human experience into poetic and prose expressions. Divided into themed sections—Love & War, Nature & Cosmos, Time & Memories, and more—it captures both the universal and the intensely personal. Henry’s voice is tender yet unyielding, as she navigates life’s edges—those transitional spaces of growth, loss, and wonder.
The writing feels both intimate and expansive. The vivid imagery of war’s aftermath lingers in my mind. It reminded me of how trauma etches itself not only onto landscapes but also onto the souls of people. Similarly, the piece “Crows Descending” speaks to the resilience and command of nature, describing birds with such reverence that I felt I was right there watching them feast. The author’s knack for detail makes each piece resonate like a shared memory. Henry’s exploration of time and memory is particularly touching. There’s a universality in these depictions of loss and connection, and it made me pause to reflect on the fleeting nature of my own memories. Meanwhile, the cosmic awe in “Cassiopeia A” made me marvel at humanity’s smallness in the universe while also celebrating our drive to understand it. I was especially moved by Henry’s lyrical voice in pieces like “Sensual,” where intimacy is painted with unflinching honesty. The shifts between gentle and raw made me feel like a voyeur in the best possible way—witnessing something intensely human yet grand in its simplicity. Her ability to balance such deeply personal emotions with profound, almost philosophical reflections is a triumph.
The Edges, by Caro Henry, is not a casual read; it demands attention and reflection. But that’s its beauty—it’s perfect for anyone who loves poetry that challenges the mind and stirs the soul. Whether you’re a fan of poignant meditations on love, reflections on war, or simply lyrical odes to nature and existence, this book will leave a mark. It certainly left one on me.
Pages: 237 | ASIN : B0DH7SNSGP
My Lost Pages
Poetry collections are always an enigma, their depths as varied as the voices that create them. Sneha Sabu’s My Lost Pages offers an immersive journey into the poet’s psyche, where each poem unfolds like a spontaneous dialogue with her subconscious. This collection brims with fleeting moods and restless introspection, carrying the reader through meditations on identity, existence, and the enigmatic essence of being alive.
Written in free verse, Sabu’s poetry defies structure while embracing rhythm, drawing comparisons to literary greats like William Blake, Ezra Pound, and Emily Dickinson. Some pieces stand solitary, sharp and self-contained, while others spill into one another, creating a seamless stream of thought. Reading these poems feels akin to stepping into a lucid dream, where the boundaries between musings and realities blur. Sabu muses on the delicate threads connecting life’s vastness to her inner world, weaving disparate ideas into an intricate tapestry of thought.
The collection invites two modes of engagement. One can focus on the impact of individual poems, letting their emotional resonance linger and evolve. Alternatively, one might search for a greater narrative—subtle connections bridging the poems into a singular exploration of meaning. Both approaches reward the reader with insights that feel both deeply personal and universally reflective. A unique touch comes from Sabu’s candid notes accompanying each piece. These glimpses into her creative process transform the collection into an intimate conversation, fostering a sense of closeness between poet and reader. The transparency adds another layer of depth, allowing the audience to peer into the moments of inspiration behind the verses. Together, these poems form a soothing cascade, washing over the reader with their contemplative tones and evocative imagery.
The collection creates an atmosphere of serenity rarely achieved in prose, inviting reflection and stillness. Sabu’s voice emerges as both plaintive and probing—confident in some moments, tentatively exploring in others. She traverses the complexities of existence with grace and curiosity, seeking to unravel life’s intricate mysteries.
My Lost Pages is a lyrical meditation, one that lingers in the mind and invites repeated readings. It is as much an exploration of the poet’s inner world as it is a mirror for the reader’s own thoughts and feelings. Sabu proves herself a voice worth listening to—raw, reflective, and profoundly human.
Pages: 87 | ASIN : B0CX5CBV6S
Caffeinated
Annette Gagliardi’s Caffeinated is a playful and thought-provoking tribute to our beloved daily brews. The poems are inspired by caffeine culture, intertwining humor, warmth, and occasional gravity. With its energetic verses about coffee and tea, the collection explores everything from morning rituals to philosophical musings fueled by our favorite stimulants. Each page offers a unique poetic reflection, whether it’s about the simple pleasure of a first cup in “Morning Wakeup” or an ode to the sensory delights of chocolate and its endorphin-releasing magic in “An Ode to Cacao.”
One of my favorite aspects of the collection is how it balances the everyday with the profound. “Worker Bees” dives into the monotony of daily routines, likening caffeine-seekers to “lemmings” and capturing the grind (pun intended) of modern work life. It’s relatable, but it leaves you thinking about our dependence on productivity and stimulation. Gagliardi also explores vivid sensory experiences, bringing morning beverages to life in a way that feels tangible. “Gourmand of Orange” is luscious, detailing a character devouring a tangerine, even stealing its color and scent. But then there’s “Murder for Tea,” which jars you back to harsh realities, juxtaposing the serenity of a garden party with the brutality of human violence. It’s a striking contrast, making you question how we find comfort amidst chaos. The emotional swing in these poems is sharp but effective.
Despite the lighthearted premise, the collection doesn’t shy away from thoughtful or somber themes. “Our Daily Excess” comments on society’s emotional numbness and the blaring noise of our exaggerated reactions. It makes you pause to wonder if we’ve truly lost “whole octaves of feeling.” The juxtaposition of these deep reflections with fun, caffeinated poems makes the reading experience rich and varied. By the end, “Homeward Bound” wraps up with a comforting sentiment, bringing us back to the warmth of home and routine.
Caffeinated is perfect for poetry lovers who appreciate a mix of humor and sincerity. It’s a great pick-me-up for anyone who enjoys reflecting on the small and powerful pleasures of life. Fans of accessible yet thoughtful verse will find this collection a rewarding read, especially if you love coffee, tea, or both.
Pages: 40 | ISBN : 9198959824
Write for the Love of It
A Concerto for an Empty Frame is a mesmerizing collection of poetry that explores loss, grief, and survival through an intricately structured lyrical journey. Where did the idea for this collection come from?
Music has always been an integral part of my life and seems to touch every aspect. Most of my life has been spent performing and teaching in this medium, and so it seemed a natural transition to express parts of my life’s journey in a musical form. The more I explored the symphonic and concerto forms, the more the metaphor of the musical form seemed to fit my journey. The three movements of a concerto with their attendant stylistic and tempo constraints easily fit into the three aspects of loss, grief, and survival allowing me to finish with a glorious cadenza that expresses freedom and joy. Music and poetry seemed to fit together naturally in its form and content. It felt like fitting two languages together – translating emotion into music.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The more I explored the qualities of music, the more I saw similarities with poetics: dynamics, cadences, recurring motifs, tempi, mode, duet and ensemble, cadenza, and language.
What was the most challenging part of writing this collection of poetry and what was the most rewarding?
I was challenged first by translating what I knew about music (form, music analysis, musical terms, etc.) into what I knew about poetry (metaphor, assonance, stanza, line break, etc.). When the pieces began to fall into place, I was exhilarated by the freedom I was able to attain in the form and content of my writing.
What advice do you have for aspiring poets?
Decide what you want to do and do it with passion. Without passion, you have no fire. Like a musician, practice, practice, practice, and write for the love of it.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Grief is a Teacher
On the Ever-Lovely Morrow is an introspective poetry collection that explores themes of love, freedom, self-discovery, and personal transformation through honest reflections on life’s challenges and societal norms. Why was this an important book for you to publish?
I felt like I had more that I needed to say, and I needed to share it in a sense and a space that was new. On the Ever-Lovely Morrow is actually the companion to its predecessor At the Beginning of Yesterday, which was published under a different name, that being Tiffiny Rose Allen.
Sometimes, you take a look at your life and see how much you’ve changed, and in the process, you realize how much you need to reinvent yourself, how much you have reinvented yourself, and what image you want to share with the world. I believe as humans we are ever-evolving, and it’s important to show that change is just a staple of life and an important one at that.
In several poems, grief seems to act as a catalyst for transformation. How do you view the relationship between loss and personal growth in your writing?
My relationship with grief has been something that has at times felt like a constant, but I have always found ways to transmute it and make it into something beautiful. Grief is, in and of itself, a beautiful thing, which demands we look at ourselves and our lives and the parts that we are playing in it. Grief is a teacher. I try my best to translate that into my work when I write.
Your reflections on societal norms and expectations are powerful. What inspired you to address these topics so openly in your poetry?
I felt the need to express these topics because they were things that had affected me personally, things that had made an impact on how I held myself, how I viewed myself, and how people viewed me and treated me. I don’t think anyone is limited to being just one thing, and it was important to me to show how multifaceted I am as a person, and hopefully in sharing that, someone could see themselves within those views as well.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I currently have an anthology in the works, it being Volume II of the Dreams In Hiding anthology. The title is After Words We Go From Here and it is centered on After pieces and prose. For those unfamiliar, After pieces are pieces of writing that are inspired by other forms of art or artists. This should be published in the late fall or early winter of 2024.
Apart from that, I have a few different projects that are in the very early stages of development, and we’ll see how they progress, but I am very very excited to share them one day.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Amazon
What comes after Yesterday? There is the present, then tomorrow, what happens on the Ever-Lovely Morrow?
In this companion to the poetry collection At The Beginning Of Yesterday, the ship of the author’s emotions will navigate you through reinvention, resurfacing, and feeling out the waves of healing.
Everything, in some form or another, comes in waves. This is a collection that celebrates being a writer, acknowledges the non-linearity of emotions, and dives into the themes of what it means to step into one’s own definition of living.
A Concerto for an Empty Frame
Elizabeth Kirkpatrick-Vrenios’ A Concerto for an Empty Frame is a mesmerizing collection of poetry that explores loss, grief, and survival through an intricately structured lyrical journey. The haunting title alone beckons readers into a world where language and emotion intertwine, offering both aesthetic pleasure and deep introspection. Comprising 34 poems, the collection is artfully organized in the form of a concerto, divided into three movements and a cadenza. The first movement begins with the blooming of love and the tentative steps of a new relationship. It delicately portrays the adjustments and joys of coming together, only to shift dramatically into the dissonance of loss, most notably with the strikingly evocative ‘Out of Tune,’ where a “field laid bare to scavenging crows” paints a vivid image of grief and devastation. This tragic arc escalates with the heart-wrenching loss of a beloved life in a sudden, tragic accident.
Kirkpatrick-Vrenios deftly manipulates language, structure, and form, creating a symphony of words that both captivates and resonates long after reading. Poems such as ‘Yesterday’s Sand’ and ‘The Rag Lady Casts a Spell (Cadenza)’ stand out for their inventive forms, each one crafted with care to engage both the visual and auditory senses. The inclusion of Italian musical notations throughout the collection enhances its auditory richness, as if the poems themselves were notes on a score, meant to be heard as well as read. One of the most striking elements is the way silence and absence are rendered palpable through subtle details, such as the grey font in pieces like ‘Unbuttoned Blues,’ ‘I Moved Out,’ and ‘Blue Tarp.’ These unspoken moments deepen the emotional impact, allowing the unsaid to linger in the mind. Moreover, the use of dictionary definitions for musical terms like concerto and recapitulation lends a delicate, intellectual layer to the collection, intertwining poetic musings with technical precision. The title itself, A Concerto for an Empty Frame, alongside its subtitle Music for Survival, encapsulates the dual themes of loss and the possibility of renewal. The “empty frame” suggests both a life shattered by tragedy and a space waiting to be filled once more, while the music serves as a vehicle for endurance, echoing the human capacity to heal and continue.
This is a collection to be savored. Its emotional depth and linguistic craftsmanship invite readers to immerse themselves fully in a single sitting, then return to explore its nuanced layers of meaning and form. A Concerto for an Empty Frame is a moving and skillfully composed work that will linger in both the heart and mind.
Pages: 90 | ISBN : 1639804315
Fragments of a Random Mind: A Poetry Collection
In Fragments of a Random Mind, Hermione Lee offers readers a collection of poetry that is both engaging and reflective. Lee draws inspiration from Brian Bilston, which is evident in the intriguing spatial play in her writer’s note, setting a promising tone for the anthology. This debut collection is divided into five sections and encompasses 62 poems. Lee navigates various themes, such as love, life, the natural world, personal reflections, and motivation.
Each section delves into a specific aspect: the first explores life and love through the lenses of friendship, nostalgia, and relationships, while the second focuses on nature, offering observational insights on dawn, birds, flowers, and lakes. The third part contemplates the art of writing, addressing common challenges such as procrastination and other reflective thoughts. The fourth part includes observational and reflective poems on people, urban life, and the surrounding environment. The collection concludes with motivational pieces aimed at uplifting the reader.
Lee’s approach to organizing the anthology into distinct sections provides a clear thematic structure. This method allows for a focused exploration of each theme, contributing to a unique reading experience. The poems themselves exhibit commendable creativity, with notable phrases like “umbrellas bloom” and skillful alliterations in “I see people hurting people.” The collection presents an array of themes, leaving room for the reader to forge their own emotional connections with the poems. The inclusion of experimental pieces such as “Utopia,” “Modern Poetry,” and “Impossible” showcases Lee’s versatility, employing a prose-like style that is both refreshing and enjoyable. The descriptive nature of the poems, capturing emotions, scenes, and impressions, is a key characteristic of Lee’s writing. The collection showcases a range of narratives and ideas, offering glimpses of engaging storytelling and thought-provoking concepts. Lee’s use of poetry taps into its ability to evoke emotion and curiosity, suggesting exciting possibilities for more narrative or thematic depth in subsequent projects.
Lee’s debut poetry collection, Fragments of a Random Mind, presents a promising start to her poetry career. The collection showcases her potential in the realm of poetry as she explores themes of love, loss, identity, and belonging. Her use of vivid imagery and emotive language captivates the reader’s attention and brings her poems to life. Fragments of a Random Mind is a noteworthy addition to the world of contemporary poetry and a testament to Lee’s talent as a poet.
Pages: 132 | ASIN : B0CW1LX5X9
LITERARY TITAN 