∎ Download Free Not Afraid to Be Real A Poetry Collection Maranda Russell 9781612251431 Books

Not Afraid to Be Real A Poetry Collection Maranda Russell 9781612251431 Books

Download As PDF : Not Afraid to Be Real A Poetry Collection Maranda Russell 9781612251431 Books

Not Afraid to Be Real A Poetry Collection Maranda Russell 9781612251431 Books

This poetry collection is a gem! I'm so glad I stumbled upon this.

Poetry is such a wondrous thing, a real blessing to all of us. It can seep through every little crack, invade every disillusioned thought, resonate with the full spectrum of feelings on our inward pallet, shatter any illusions we might have of ourselves or those around us, rekindle the spirit within us and reassure us once again of our true essence. And it can do all of that… in just a few words.

This, the author of this wonderful collection managed to do as well. I could really resonate with her style of writing and so many of her poems. They are genuine, original and heartfelt.

I loved the “Outside of the Box” part, as well as the fact that she wrote shadorma poems.

Do yourself a favor, get yourself a copy of this book and let yourself be swept away by the wonder of words.


Tags : Not Afraid to Be Real: A Poetry Collection [Maranda Russell] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. More than just a poetry collection, Not Afraid to Be Real is a raw, honest, down-to-earth look at what it is like to be human. Within these pages you will find poems representing a wide variety of subjects,Maranda Russell,Not Afraid to Be Real: A Poetry Collection,Mirror Publishing,1612251439,American - General,POETRY American General,Poetry,Poetry by individual poets

Not Afraid to Be Real A Poetry Collection Maranda Russell 9781612251431 Books Reviews

I notice that the reviews for this poem book are greatly varied, and I think I know why. If I came at this book with the same criteria that I would use for—let us say—a collection by Yeats or Basho or Seamus Heaney, then I would rank it lower. However this book is spot on for what it claims poetry (mostly free verse) that is (1) not afraid to be real and (2) targeted for teens (who for the most part are not literary critics). So I evaluate it from the perspective of my guts and from that of the young people whom I teach, rather than from an art critic POV.
As for “real” I appreciate Maranda’s courage, writing with utter transparency about some very difficult matters. She cuts through any b******t, tearing away veils of gentile sensibility, denial and discomfort. For example in the poem titled “Accept me as I am” she writes, “See the beast within—don’t be fooled simply by the beauty. View the ugliness, the depravity—and then tell me how much you care.” The poem “Feeling Fat Today” is another emperor-has-no-clothes triumph along with “Weapons of Verbal Destruction” and “The Death of Middle America.”
Fittingly, the finest crafted poems are in the section addressing art. These are more complex and reveal better wordsmithing than the earlier poems that are focused on raw emotion. “Passing the Torch” is an elegant whimsical look at the work of a visual artist and “Taste a Poem” does the same for poetry.
Finally, several poems just hit my buttons for personal reasons. “To my Insecurities” is a deliciously raw lashing out and “The Living Dead” struck real close to home.
I wish I had received this book when I was 16, it might have made my path easier knowing someone else had some of these same hard feelings and knowing they could be shared via the written word.
I don't know why this was rated so well. It's middle of the road poetry. I was looking for really excellent and interesting stuff. This is nothing to write home about.
I found this book of poetry boring, not well written, and to top it off the format was ridiculous and made reading a chore rather than a pleasure. The one bright spot is that it was free!!!
I hate to give bad reviews. As an author I know what it's like to put your heart and soul into a book. However, poetry is treated by too many as something one can just toss off, rather than the art it is. This collection is a good example of just such a mistake. Free verse is not a license to write "whatever". The poems in this book lack consonance of language, harmony of sound, and worse, they are filled with clichés. No one doubts that feeling emotions can be powerful experiences. However, it take more than trite language to articulate poetry. A poet's job is to serve the poem- without sentimentality, without cliché, and most especially without the self-involved conceit that is so easy to fall into, particularly when writing about ones own thoughts and experiences. I'm sorry this book was not better because every human being has something valuable to share. However, not every human being was meant to do so through poetic means.
I loved every poem. They were very touching and I felt very connected to the poems. There is a sense of sadness to some poems that is on a deep level. And there are also uplifting poems to bring happiness to your spirit. Perfect for anybody. Particularly for those in a rough time.
I enjoyed this collection. Maranda says in the introduction that she prefers 'gritty, down-to-earth poetry'. And that's what she writes. On her terms. I appreciate Maranda's style of telling it straight. I most enjoy reading poems I can relate to. She writes of romance, loss and hope in this book and it ends with a few quirky poems to make you smile. There are some real gems in here, in my opinion, including 'Lightning Bugs', 'Accept Me As I Am', 'The Living Dead', 'Open Wide' and 'Haiku About Marriage'. And 'The End of an Era' is very touching.
I hesitate when reading poetry as you never know how complex or personal a poet may be with their work. I like poetry I get and Maranda Russell's collection proved to be that.

Broken into four sections I enjoyed every topic covered and quickly fell in love with some individual poems. I also appreciate the poets inclusion of humourous poems to end the collection. Each section is separated by a very appropriate picture which I also enjoyed.

We all of a history to tell and it seems Maranda has told the story of many and she was certainly not afraid to be real with these raw poems.

I will be recommending them to some artist friends and keeping it for myself for future escapes.

Thank you for reading,

Sarah Butland
This poetry collection is a gem! I'm so glad I stumbled upon this.

Poetry is such a wondrous thing, a real blessing to all of us. It can seep through every little crack, invade every disillusioned thought, resonate with the full spectrum of feelings on our inward pallet, shatter any illusions we might have of ourselves or those around us, rekindle the spirit within us and reassure us once again of our true essence. And it can do all of that… in just a few words.

This, the author of this wonderful collection managed to do as well. I could really resonate with her style of writing and so many of her poems. They are genuine, original and heartfelt.

I loved the “Outside of the Box” part, as well as the fact that she wrote shadorma poems.

Do yourself a favor, get yourself a copy of this book and let yourself be swept away by the wonder of words.