Mohamed Saloo - Belong (Book Review)

 

Mohamed Saloo is a poet, author,

spoken word artist from Batley, West Yorkshire.

He is also a cofounder of a poetry group

giving space for people to share their own works.

I have been lucky enough to have followed his work

for quite some time, and have had a few conversations,

however this review has been written

ignoring all of that and just focusing on the work.

 

Opening with a strong triple whammy.

"A better youth, we thought"

Is like a call to the youth to show

strength and goodness, to overcome all of the isms

and the hate that surges through the world

like a deepening flood,

and in these dark times,

this is exactly what the world needs to hear.

"We watched hate" and "The hopes that didn't last"

Show us where we could have made a change,

where minds were starting to align,

and unkindness was becoming a thing

left in bad times,

but then we let all these good things crumble,

and are where we are today,

a world that sits divided.

 

I have always liked poetry

with a powerful message,

A poet can express in just one page

so much empathy, so much love for the human race,

and so much rage

at how we are being led

to a cage to become beasts that only care

for our own circles.

And if this book was only highlighting

the injustices so many people suffer

because of the colour of their skin,

or their belief system,

or just because someone perceives them

as different to him,

if it was only this,

id hold this in really high regard,

but it's more,

It's beautifully written

with real talent and dedication to the craft,

it draws you in with every line,

painting the images into your brain

so that you can feel the stories

that are contained within.

So no I don't hold it in high regard,

I hold it as a must buy.

It is an important record of the world today,

and a piece of art that is full of striking beauty.

Please take the time to devour every line,

cleanse this world

of the hate and bigotry,

let us become the future we should be.

 

you can find the book here, along with lots of poetry

https://mohamedsaloo.co.uk/

or you can find him on Instagram

@saloomohamed 

 

 

Peace, Love & Poetry

Kyle 

Harmony: The chronicles of a healing goddess (Book review)

 

Harmony is a poet we have been lucky enough

to watch grow at our poetry nights in Leicester.

She is a powerful voice for all of those

who have been crushed by life and loves gone sour.

And this, her debut collection is a deep dive

into the emotional roller coaster that this all brings,

the dips and troughs to the highest of heights,

we are drawn to follow her story,

like we are strapped in the seats at a cinema,

the movie highlighting moments of her life.

The sounds, as loud as our ears can take,

then ramped up a touch more, to make us

slightly uncomfortable, but also full of awe.

 

The first poem sets the stage,

with the opening line,

 

"Before I build you, I'm going to take everything

from you, so you know it's not luck. It's all in you"

 

In this one line she explains where this story is going to ride,

we know that darkness lurks, as it so often does,

around every corner, in the shadows,

but also, right in front of our eyes,

in the love we think lies behind another person's eyes,

but in truth deception and hurt are all that thrive.

 

The collection has a very natural flow to the words,

nothing feels forced,

and every emotion drips from the page.

Some will have you weeping

at the way life can be so cruel,

but it isn't all darkness and despair,

there is also love and hope,

belief in a world

where we can all find a space.

There is humour in spades,

often just when you are least expecting it.

 

At 120 pages

this is a generously

sized poetry book,

there will be poems that grow over time,

some that give you a big instant hug,

but each will stay somewhere in your mind

and you will return time after time.

Harmony has truly delivered a book

that lets us feel all of the emotions along with her,

and for a debut collection

I find this very exciting,

as she will still grow

to be even better.

 

So, embrace your ugly,

make peace with your story,

find a page and read,

let those words bleed through you,

and find inside, that special inner peace.

 

Grab a copy here

 https://amzn.eu/d/aRALGEO

 

Peace, Love & Poetry

Kyle