Once upon a time I read poetry about as often as I drank water. I craved to get lost in the prose, always feeling the emotion so deeply behind the words. Reading poetry at that time ignited a flame in my own heart to write my own poetry, and some of my best writing was done during that time.

That feels like a lifetime ago and, as with the evolution of life, I found it increasingly difficult to either read or write poetry, and often opting to get lost in a novel instead. So, when I picked up Surviving Home it was almost like a sweet homecoming for me.

I was immediately hit with how powerful some of the prose are, many literally eliciting an actual ache in my heart, feeling truly touched by the author’s words Though much was hard to read, there was also such bitter truth, which I appreciated, the author showing such bravery and conviction. My mind's eye was bombarded with very vivid imagery and saw many of my own thoughts and emotions mirrored on the page, and I found myself getting lost in thought on multiple occasions, and even going back to reread certain passages, the meaning more and more brilliant with each read.

Though I enjoyed much of this book I have to say that I didn’t care for the topic of politics. I admire the author’s point of view, and actually agree with many of the points that she made, but I personally have never cared to discuss politics, and I found myself in these moments zoning out. Other than that I was in awe of her creativity in telling her story and feel so thankful that I was given the chance to read it. It’s definitely reminded me why I always loved poetry in my younger years, and for that I am eternally grateful.

*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own. ( )

Reminiscient of the work of Jacqueline Woodson, this collection of poetry is a visceral, honest, and raw look at the experiences of an African-American woman. She draws on the tradition of William Blake in his "Songs of Experience," (especially in the poem "The Tyger, Interrupted") of forcing the reader to look at the harsher realities of the world they inhabit. Readers, who, as I know many do, look for poetry to convey a depth of emotion, especially pathos, and help give them language to put around those painful experiences, will find this collection to be vivid, imaginative, and deep.

However, I gave this book only three stars because that is not what I look for in poetry. I love to delve deeply into the emotional experiences of others through prose, but when I read poetry, I'm mostly looking for writing that is hopeful, and even eucatastrophic (to borrow Tolkein's term). While I can recognize its merit, this book wasn't for me. ( )