book reviews
Reviews of the best poetry books, collections and anthologies; discover poems and up-and-coming poets across all cultures, genres and themes.
The Language of Falling Leaves
🍂 Introduction: When Nature Teaches Us to Begin Again Every season carries its own poetry, but autumn speaks in a language unlike any other. The falling leaves are not just signs of endings—they are whispers of renewal, reminders that change, though sometimes painful, is necessary for growth.
By Nadeem Shah 5 months ago in Poets
Before and After
The coffee cup fell at exactly 9:47 AM on a Tuesday. I know this because I was staring at the digital clock on my computer screen, counting down the minutes until my performance review with Mr. Henderson. My hands were trembling—not from caffeine, but from the speech I'd been rehearsing for weeks. Today was the day I would finally ask for the promotion I deserved, the raise that would let me move out of my studio apartment, maybe even start that photography side business I'd been dreaming about since college.
By Muhammad Sabeel5 months ago in Poets
Power of Potes: The Strength of True Friendship
Power of Potes: The Strength of True Friendship By [Your Name] It started on a rainy Tuesday. Leila had just moved to a new city for work, dragging two suitcases, a tired heart, and a list of things she missed from home. She didn’t know anyone, and after her first week, loneliness started creeping in like fog under the door. Then she met Ana. Ana worked in the same building — loud laugh, paint on her jeans, always offering gum. One afternoon in the break room, she noticed Leila sitting alone, scrolling her phone with earbuds in. Ana tapped her shoulder, grinned, and said, “You always listen to music or are you hiding from the world?” Leila blinked, surprised. “A little of both.” Ana sat down. “Same.” That’s how it started — with a question and a shared silence. A week later, Ana invited Leila to a game night with some friends. “No pressure,” she said, tossing a bag of chips into her cart, “but we play like our lives depend on Uno.” Leila went. And that night, she laughed harder than she had in months. The group — Ana, Jules, Marcos, and Tania — welcomed her like they’d known her forever. They weren’t perfect people. They talked over each other, spilled drinks, argued about pizza toppings. But they showed up. They asked real questions. They remembered details. And soon, Leila started calling them her potes — the kind of friends who become your chosen family. --- In the months that followed, the potes became inseparable. They celebrated everything — promotions, birthdays, even bad days that needed cheering up. They met for late-night walks, last-minute road trips, lazy Sundays filled with pancakes and playlists. They were there when Ana’s art gallery finally opened. When Jules came out and cried with relief in Leila’s kitchen. When Marcos lost his dad and couldn’t speak for days. When Tania got her dream scholarship and the whole crew danced barefoot in the rain. Through every laugh, every tear, every shared coffee and text message that just said, “You okay?”, Leila realized something: friendship wasn’t just about fun. It was about being seen, truly seen — and loved anyway. --- One night, after a long day, they all sat on the rooftop of Ana’s apartment, watching the city lights blink like stars. “You know what I love?” Tania said, sipping her tea. “That we don’t have to pretend with each other. I could show up here crying or with a bad haircut, and nobody would judge me.” “Speak for yourself,” Jules joked. “If that haircut’s tragic, I will stage an intervention.” Everyone laughed, but it was true. They held each other accountable. They called each other out — with kindness. They pushed one another to grow, but never alone. Leila looked around at the group, her chest warm. She hadn’t just made friends — she’d found her people. --- As the seasons changed, so did life. Work got busier. Marcos moved across the country. Ana started dating someone seriously. Things shifted, as they always do. But the bond didn’t break. They scheduled virtual calls, planned yearly reunions, sent memes at midnight. When one of them was struggling, the others circled back like satellites to lift them up. One day, years later, Leila stood in front of a classroom — now a teacher — telling her students about the importance of kindness, connection, and community. She told them how she once felt invisible in a big city, and how one person — one question — changed everything. “Sometimes,” she said, “your whole world changes not because you planned it, but because someone made you feel like you belong.” --- Moral of the Story: Friendship isn’t always loud or dramatic. Sometimes it’s quiet, steady, and life-saving. Potes are the ones who show up — not just for the big moments, but for the small, silent ones too. And in a world that often moves too fast, finding people who see you, accept you, and grow with you is one of the most powerful things there is. So ask the question. Sit beside someone. Start the game night. You never know whose life you’ll change — including your own.
By Muhammad Saad 5 months ago in Poets
