Tag: Poetry books

Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear: Poems from Gaza by Mosab Abu Toha

My Book Thoughts:

“Things You May Find Hidden In My Ear” unfolds as a soul-stirring debut poetry novel, inviting readers into the rich tapestry of Mosab Abu Toha’s life—from the innocence of childhood to the profound moments of fatherhood. Each poem is a testament to purity, honesty, and a vivid portrayal of life, creating a surreal experience, especially when viewed through the lens of his younger self.

Abu Toha’s verses play with lightness and curiosity, seamlessly intertwining with the weight of life’s challenges within his family and the broader community. The poems act as windows into the struggles faced by loved ones and even strangers, depicting the stark realities of death, close encounters with mortality, and the chilling memories of four violent militant attacks in Gaza. Through these words, the resilience of the Palestinian people resonates, capturing hearts with its enduring strength.

Engaging with this emotionally charged and reflective book, readers embark on a journey of profound intensity. Abu Toha’s powerful verses, rich with detail and information, create an immersive experience. Personally, navigating through the book became a deeply moving and challenging expedition. Over the past two months, we’ve been amplifying the voices and stories of the illegal occupation of Palestine, shedding light on the suffering in Gaza and the West Bank. Witnessing the destruction of homes, schools, hospitals, and places of worship, alongside the lives of innocent civilians, has left an indelible mark on our collective conscience.

In the pages of “Things You May Find Hidden In My Ear,” the poet not only captures the historical resilience of the Palestinian people but also brings the reader into a poignant conversation within the present. Published in April 2022, the book gains a haunting timeliness as many of the places mentioned in the selected poems and the interview (with the author at the end of the book) have been destroyed in the last sixty days. Abu Toha’s past experiences come alive, resonating with the current state of affairs in Gaza, adding an extra layer of emotional weight to the reader’s experience.

Reading the vivid accounts of past devastation while simultaneously witnessing the ongoing destruction is a heart-wrenching paradox. It’s as if time itself is caught in a cruel loop, a recurring nightmare that refuses to end. The author’s portrayal of events becomes even more powerful, transcending the pages of the book and resonating with the urgent reality of the present moment. The reader is left grappling with the profound question of how such atrocities persist without substantial intervention.

In “Things You May Find Hidden In My Ear,” Mosab Abu Toha doesn’t just share his personal journey; he invites readers to bear witness to the ongoing struggles of a people and a region entangled in a relentless cycle of hardship. The book serves as a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unrelenting adversity, urging us to confront uncomfortable truths and prompting a call to action that transcends the confines of its pages.

About the author:

Mosab Abu Toha is the winner of a 2022 Palestine Book Award and a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in Poetry.
He is a Palestinian poet, scholar, and librarian who was born in Gaza and has spent his life there. He is the founder of the Edward Said Library, Gaza’s first English-language library. Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear is his debut book of poems. It won a 2022 Palestine Book Award and was named a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in Poetry.
In 2019-2020, Abu Toha was a Visiting Poet in the Department of Comparative Literature at Harvard University. Abu Toha is a columnist for Arrowsmith Press, and his writings from Gaza have also appeared in The Nation and Literary Hub. His poems have been published in Poetry, The Nation, The New York Review of Books, the Academy of American Poets’ Poem-a-Day, and Poetry Daily, among others.

Wrapping up this reflection on “Things You May Find Hidden In My Ear,” I sincerely hope that amidst the emotional journey these words have taken you on, you’ve found something uplifting and thought-provoking. Literature has a unique power to bridge gaps, fostering understanding and empathy.

Let’s carry with us the importance of continuing to read, share, and amplify the voices and stories of the Palestinian people. It is through these narratives that we can truly grasp the gravity of the injustices and challenges they face daily. By staying informed and engaged, we contribute to a collective dialogue that transcends borders and brings attention to the urgent need for change.

Thank you for taking the time to explore these reflections with me. Your commitment to learning and understanding plays a vital role in fostering awareness and compassion.

Until the next post,

Gia.

Nightmares, Night Scares, Daydreams by Lori Jenessa Nelson

Nightmares, Night Scares, Daydreams By Lori Jenessa Nelson

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Greetings, Readers:

Today, I am doing a quick promotional post for a friend of mine, Lori. A multi-layered artistista who’s publishing her second poetry book, titled: Nightmares, Night Scares, Daydreams. If the title was not a dead giveaway, this book plays off of a Halloweenish theme and I could not be more ready for it.

Nightmares, Night Scares, Daydreams by Lori Jenessa Nelson

“Do you see shadows in the daylight? If not, let this poetry collection take you to a new place where dreams are not dreams and nightmares are the beginning of all things fantastical. Not only ghouls and goblins can scare you. Fear can take the shape of your favorite uncle or your father. Horror can happen in the daylight. This is what Nightmares, Night Scares, Daydreams will show you.

Lori Jenessa Nelson’s second poetry collection will bend your way of thought with its new usage of familiar words. She will bring you to a different realm of a new reality, a place of hopes and dreams and fantastic failure. She explores more familial relations, while also talking about romantic relationships in a new way. She speaks on friendship, fear, retribution, loss, bitterness, and emotional decay. Shedding light on controversial issues and her place as an African-American minority in a white society, Nelson also delves into the darkness without fear that you will see the darkness inside of her. She wishes to share that with you in a way that will bind you together. She will show you the fear of living and the fear of death and also explore self-reflection and the meaning of self-confidence. Wishing to challenge you to think of words in a new way, a noun is not always a noun, as Nelson bends the rules of grammar by riddling this poetry with a naturally free flowing hand of colorful language.

This is Halloween where we are all dressing as someone else but all we want is to be ourselves. How do you think of Halloween? Lori Jenessa tackles the question, speaking about the holiday itself and what it represents to her.

And just for ghoulish fun and witchery, she has also included fun spells that are a little more than just magic. They are flashlights of her personal insights.

Let her share this journey with you.”

Among the short list of close friends I’ve had over the years, of whom I trust for not only honesty, but clear, helpful and  creative guidance, there is Lori. She is not only a friend, but a spark of inspiration as she’s never once stopped going after her dream.

I love it when family and close friends are successful and stay passionate about their own dreams because it keeps me motivated and inspired to continue to go after my own.  Lori’s book, Nightmare, Night Scares, Daydreams  will have a five-full-days’ run of free downloading on Amazon this week.

And, as a friend, writer, book loover and lover of the arts, I am doing what I can to spread the word about this, organic take on life, through speculative lens (sort of speak). And what luck that it’s just in time for the 13 day, or should I say 13 nights, build up to Halloween! ^__^ Are you excited, yet?  (I am!) Technically the event starts on October 22nd and runs until October 26th, but I am sure you get the idea. Plus, it’s a free book! What book-lover, poetry-lover, All-things-Halloween-lover wouldn’t go for this sweet,sweet deal?! ( That was the last pun, I promise :-p )

This girl is crazy talented and I love the fact that she’s created a whole poetry book dedicated to the thrilling, mysterious and frightening aspects of Halloween. 🙂 So, are in the spirit of Halloween yet? (I hope you are.)

Happy 13 Nights of Halloween, guys. Here’s a snibbit from the book:

Excerpt From Nightmares, Night Scares, Daydreams by Lori Jenessa Nelson Halloween Poetry Collection

Thanks for reading,

Gia.