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 Birth of Poetry
Long before words were written and stories were inked on paper, there was sound — the gentle hum of rivers, the rustle of trees, the heartbeat of the earth beneath bare feet. In that ancient world, before kingdoms and books, before pens and scrolls, human hearts still longed to express what they felt. And so, poetry was born — not from knowledge, but from emotion; not from invention, but from the natural rhythm of life itself. It is said that poetry came into being the first time a human felt something so deeply that mere gestures or cries could not contain it. Perhaps it was a mother humming softly to her child under the stars, her voice swaying like the wind, carrying love and comfort. Perhaps it was a hunter standing beneath the moon, whispering thanks to nature for its gifts. Or maybe it was a traveler, gazing at the endless sky, wondering where life came from and where it would go. In those days, speech was still new. People used sound to name things, to warn, to call. But one day, someone’s voice rose differently — not to command or describe, but to feel. The sounds became rhythm; rhythm became melody; and melody became meaning. Those who heard it were moved in ways they could not explain. They didn’t yet call it “poetry,” but they felt its power — the power to connect heart to heart, soul to soul. From then on, people began to listen not only with their ears, but with their hearts. Around campfires, under the open sky, words began to dance. Men and women spoke of love, courage, fear, loss, and hope — the same emotions that fill poems even today. When rain fell, they sang of its sadness; when the sun rose, they praised its warmth. They found music in the world around them and echoed it in their words. In ancient civilizations — Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, and India — poetry became a sacred art. It was used to praise gods, record victories, and teach wisdom. The earliest poems were prayers, songs, and hymns. In temples, priests chanted verses to honor life and creation. In royal courts, poets shaped words into tales of heroes and dreams. Their verses carried the spirit of humanity across generations. But beyond temples and palaces, poetry lived in every heart. Farmers sang as they worked. Lovers whispered verses to one another under the moonlight. Mothers lulled their babies with rhythm and rhyme. Poetry became the bridge between life’s silence and its music — between what could be said and what could only be felt. As time passed, writing gave poetry a new home. The words that were once spoken by firelight were carved on stone, then written on scrolls and pages. Yet even as the world changed, poetry remained timeless — a reflection of the human soul. It grew in every language, every land, carrying new meanings but the same heartbeat. The reason poetry endures is simple: it speaks to something eternal within us. It captures moments we cannot hold, emotions we cannot measure, and truths we cannot explain. It reminds us that even in our most silent times, we are never alone — because someone, somewhere, has felt the same. Today, poetry still flows through our lives. It lives in songs, in prayers, in stories, and even in the quiet words we whisper to ourselves when no one is listening. It connects the past with the present, the ancient voice by the riverside with the modern heart that still longs to speak in rhythm. And so, the birth of poetry was not the invention of an art form — it was the awakening of the human spirit. It was the moment when feeling found a voice, when the heart learned to speak in beauty. From the first hum beneath the stars to the verses written today, poetry remains what it has always been — the purest language of emotion, the gentle song of the soul, and the eternal proof that humanity has always needed more than words to truly be heard.
By Muhammad Saad 2 months ago in Poets
Love mean in 90's
Love means the madness of two people, pulling each other close to their hearts; Love means taking risks in life, walking barefoot in the sand of separation; Love means leaning very much towards each other; Love means heavy rain, walking in and out of the rain continuously; Love means talking incessantly in front of a cup of cold coffee; Love means sitting face to face even after the conversation is over.
By Afia Naima Haque2 months ago in Poets
Psychedelic 😵💫 World by Rikki La Rouge
Psychedelic World is my first poetry book before Scenery of Society which would come years later. With this book I tried to get it published I sent it to all of the major publishers out there for example penguin publishing. There are two versions one is in English and the other one is written in Spanish. I did the illustrations for the work myself and it is true to the book being that it is a psychedelic drawing. I can’t explain the meaning of the drawing other than that it’s just cool and a snapshot of the machinations of my mind.
By Revista XCI by Rikki La Rouge 2 months ago in Poets
