In Songs with Our Eyes Closed Tyler Kent White has woven a powerful compilation of poetry and short prose to inspire and uplift the spirit. To me, these poems especially spoke of being oneself, not being afraid of your full potential, and knowing your true worth. These were lessons I needed at the moment. Lessons I always need.
Poem after poem reminds that you are the stuff of stars, sharing atoms with everything that is. They are a call to mindfulness, and knowing we are all One. There are poems that speak on forgiveness, of yourself, and others, and those that illuminate the less obvious beauty to be found in the depths of loneliness or loss, as well as that found in love and contentment.
you are a
symphony
of stardust
and you were
born to shine
-Songs with Our Eyes Closed
Most poems were succinct, speaking volumes in the ringing silence stretching between words. These poems are morsels to be savoured, one or two at a time. Many make great meditation prompts. There are longer prose pieces I found equally inspiring. Most of the poems and prose are based upon the author’s own life, and relationships.
never apologise
for burning too brightly
or for collapsing
into yourself
every night
that is how galaxies are made.
-Songs with Our Eyes Closed
These poems fair vibrate with the poet’s emotion. They seem written with no goal in mind other than to write, and purge feelings, like lancing a boil. Most are intimate pieces, especially the ones on loss and depression. White was brave, to share these poems, these little pieces of heart and soul, that have laid him bare before the reader.
—know that the voids are
simply places for something
more beautiful to grow.
-Songs with Our Eyes Closed
I enjoyed White’s style. By omitting capitalisation, I feel it left the poems unmolded, in a manner of speaking. For me, the lack meant my mind did not latch on to certain words as ‘more important’ just because they were capitalised. These have a lovely flow and feel that I wanted to immerse myself in. I have a dislike of poems where each line is capitalised, be it in the middle of a sentence, or no. It comes across as too rigid.
—my biggest fear is that
when I finally find myself
i’ll still be who i am.
-Songs with Our Eyes Closed
I ended up buying an eCopy of the book, and have plans to acquire a hardcopy to keep by my bed for meditation purposes. For any out there who enjoy poetry, this is a must-read collection!
***Many thanks to Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
