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Writer's pictureAlexandra Antipa

[Book Review] Soul Reflection, [Author] Jillani Birech




Andrea Ashworth, the English author famous for writing the memoir called “Once in a House on Fire”, once said:


“Poetry made me feel part of something noble and beautiful and bigger than me.”


Whenever I read poetry, I feel exactly the same. I am honored to discover the words of poets from all over the world, and thus get closer to their own mindset and culture. As opposed to prose, poetry seems to deliver more straightforward emotions, inviting to join the author’s universe and his/her frame of mind.


Within the pages of this book, readers can discover beautiful poems, approaching a diversity of themes and emotions. From verses that are written in a rather sad tone to the ones exulting with joy, you will definitely find something to enjoy. As stated by the author himself, these poems represent “a true gift from the heart”, and I think kindred spirits will be delighted to discover them.


The reader is left with a message of hope and kindness, which the author was more than happy to impart through his poetry. There were many things I liked about this poetry collection and I am going to try to speak about some of them.


· The book offered a fascinating glimpse into the life journey of a man who belongs to an interesting culture – I enjoyed reading the poems inspired by his personal experiences, and they made me realize we all go through similar things, regardless of our culture or background

· Invitation to reflection – with the gentle guidance of a teacher, the author invites his readers to reflect on their own matters of the soul – this is something only talented writers are able to achieve

· Each poem is thought provoking – good poetry makes you think about the issues the authors bring forward – at the same time, you are looking for ideas that you can relate to, perhaps a bit of optimism about the outcome of certain life experiences

· A lesson hidden in each poem – the author skillfully offers advice that we can all use, with hope as the main element; even the sad poems can help us understand that nothing lasts forever, including bad experiences

· A journey of emotions – poetry should strike a chord, waking deep emotions inside us; I applaud the author for bringing this collection to life, one that takes us through the entire spectrum of human emotions, from happiness to sadness and back

· The elegant simplicity – with simple words and carefully-chosen rhymes, the author has poured his soul onto the paper, inviting his readers to do the same – I love poetry that is simple and elegant at the same time.


These were some of my favorite verses:


Getting to the best means/going through the worst…/Being far from the worst/requires one’s best…

As sure as day brings light/It’s going to be all right/Don’t yet have things in full sight/Still some residue of night/

Lying against a tree/With one knee bent/Sipping some tea/There came a gentle murmuring to me/From somewhere unknown

Turn your head to the sky/and consider how butterflies fly/In winged complexity

Life it’s not like a book/it turns over differently/you cannot skip chapters/each word must be recited


Verdict:


If you enjoy reading contemporary poetry, then I recommend you give this collection a try. These poems are full of meaning, yet they are simple enough to convince you of their tastefulness.


Grab your copy of the book from here!








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