I don't know how to explain this Hidden Gem,
I Am Ravven, without detracting from it.
I can say this much. I am not a poetry lover, though poetry is part of me. I will read what crosses my path, but I rarely seek out poetry. However, when I am quiet and settle myself into a listening space and begin to write, I hear words, gently shared, often reflecting the everyday fabric of my life and heart. I have learned that these words wish to be shaped into poems. I did not set out to be a poet, it just happened.
Because I share my poetry in various arenas readers often ask, "Who are your favorite poets?" If given time I might say, "I love some poems by Mary Oliver, Robert Hayden, Kiana Davis, Andrea Hope, Janice Carrington. I've begun to read and appreciate the beauty and truth of the verses of Langston Hughes, Dylan Thomas, Pablo Neruda. I know there are others who don't come to mind just now. Each one has works that have brought me to tears and also brought me home in some way."
Now I will add to this list Ravven White. To tell you about her collection, I Am Ravven, I share the words offered by Curious Corvid Publishing to describer her book.
"'I Am Ravven' is an insightful collection of poetry interweaving themes of love, trauma, grief & growth, and the beauty found in a healing darkness. Ravven's raw and emotional writing style takes you on a journey of self-discovery as she begins to heal from a life of severe childhood abuse. Her honest struggles with mental health, self-image, and feelings of isolation paint a portrait of a victim turned survivor turned warrior. Ravven’s poetry is a timeline of highs and lows as she learns how to navigate healing, acceptance, and forgiveness. With an overwhelming message of hope and restoration, 'I Am Ravven' shares emotions and experiences that anyone can relate to and empathize with. We all have stories to tell. This one is hers."
I read these fifty poems in three sittings over the course of two days. I only stopped when I needed to stay with an idea for a while before continuing on later. At no point did my attention waver. I attribute this to her gift for lively word play and rhythm, and a format that is not at all heavy, though the content is. And this: Years of Ravven's life are, in a manner, recorded here, but she is clearly a soul on a quest to use her words and life to make her own life and the lives of those who she can touch as beautiful as possible.
You can find I Am Ravven on Amazon, here.
I Am Ravven, without detracting from it.
I can say this much. I am not a poetry lover, though poetry is part of me. I will read what crosses my path, but I rarely seek out poetry. However, when I am quiet and settle myself into a listening space and begin to write, I hear words, gently shared, often reflecting the everyday fabric of my life and heart. I have learned that these words wish to be shaped into poems. I did not set out to be a poet, it just happened.
Because I share my poetry in various arenas readers often ask, "Who are your favorite poets?" If given time I might say, "I love some poems by Mary Oliver, Robert Hayden, Kiana Davis, Andrea Hope, Janice Carrington. I've begun to read and appreciate the beauty and truth of the verses of Langston Hughes, Dylan Thomas, Pablo Neruda. I know there are others who don't come to mind just now. Each one has works that have brought me to tears and also brought me home in some way."
Now I will add to this list Ravven White. To tell you about her collection, I Am Ravven, I share the words offered by Curious Corvid Publishing to describer her book.
"'I Am Ravven' is an insightful collection of poetry interweaving themes of love, trauma, grief & growth, and the beauty found in a healing darkness. Ravven's raw and emotional writing style takes you on a journey of self-discovery as she begins to heal from a life of severe childhood abuse. Her honest struggles with mental health, self-image, and feelings of isolation paint a portrait of a victim turned survivor turned warrior. Ravven’s poetry is a timeline of highs and lows as she learns how to navigate healing, acceptance, and forgiveness. With an overwhelming message of hope and restoration, 'I Am Ravven' shares emotions and experiences that anyone can relate to and empathize with. We all have stories to tell. This one is hers."
I read these fifty poems in three sittings over the course of two days. I only stopped when I needed to stay with an idea for a while before continuing on later. At no point did my attention waver. I attribute this to her gift for lively word play and rhythm, and a format that is not at all heavy, though the content is. And this: Years of Ravven's life are, in a manner, recorded here, but she is clearly a soul on a quest to use her words and life to make her own life and the lives of those who she can touch as beautiful as possible.
You can find I Am Ravven on Amazon, here.