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What We Buried
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Poetry (2014)This book is a cemetery of truths buried alive. The light draws you in where you will find Caitlyn there digging. When you get close enough, she'll lean in & whisper, Baby, buried things will surface no matter what, get to them before they get to you first. Her unbounded love will propel you to pick up a shovel & help- even though the only thing you want to do is kiss her lips, kiss her hands, kiss every one of her stretch marks & the fire that is raging in pit of her stomach. She'll see your eyes made of devour & sadness, she'll hug you & say, Baby, if you eat me alive, I will cut my way out of your stomach. Don't let this be your funeral. Teach yourself to navigate the wound.
66 pages, Paperback
First published March 7, 2014
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7601 people want to read
About the author
Caitlyn Siehl
7 books907 followersCaitlyn is primarily interested in healing. Growing up in a small town in New Jersey, she began writing poetry three years ago with the intention of bringing pain to the surface, of clawing through the dirt and excavating it before singing it to sleep. She tries to be gentle with what hurts, and it has helped.
Currently a student at Rutgers University, Caitlyn is studying film and journalism in the hopes of becoming a screenwriter.
Currently a student at Rutgers University, Caitlyn is studying film and journalism in the hopes of becoming a screenwriter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
June 5, 2020
“You are not Atlas and the world is not a burden for you to carry.”
I've seen this poetry collection a number of times online, but had no idea what to expect until I opened the book and was instantly enchanted by the second poem titled “Three Questions.” And since I can’t narrow it down to just one quote - I’m in love with the whole of it and how each line adds something more - I've decided to share the full poem:
“My mother tells me
that when I meet someone I like,
I have to ask them three questions:
1. what are you afraid of?
2. do you like dogs?
3. what do you do when it rains?
of those three, she says the first one is the most important.
“They gotta be scared of something, baby. Everybody is. If they aren’t afraid of anything, then they don’t believe in anything, either.”I asked you what you were afraid of.
“spiders, mostly. being alone. little children, like, the ones who just learned how to push a kid over on the playground. oh and space. holy shit, space.”
I asked you if you liked dogs.
“I have three.”
I asked you what you do when it rains.
“sleep, mostly. sometimes I sit at the window and watch the rain droplets race. I make a shelter out of plastic in my backyard for all the stray animals; leave them food and a place to sleep.”
he smiled like he knew.
like his mom told him the same
thing.
“how about you?”
me?
I’m scared of everything.
of the hole in the o-zone layer,
of the lady next door who never
smiles at her dog,
and especially of all the secrets
the government must be breaking
it’s back trying to keep from us.
I love dogs so much, you have no idea.
I sleep when it rains.
I want to tell everyone I love them.
I want to find every stray animal and bring them home.
I want to wake up in your hair
and make you shitty coffee
and kiss your neck
and draw silly stick figures of us.
I never want to ask anyone else
these questions
ever again.”
Naturally after that I went on with quite high expectations that were for the most part met. The pieces after the above, though, focused heavily on love and heartbreak and “I’m in love with the shape of you” style poems, which I wasn't really feeling... Also, poems like “Do not fall in love with people like me” set my mood from 100 to 0 real quick.
But just when I was starting to worry that this collection was going to be all about relationships and their aftermath, the narrative shifted to center on feelings of strength with feminist undertones, and I was all the more enraptured. Here are a few of those:
In the end, I was won over by the sheer power I felt while reading about the ineffable strength and endurance, suffering and survival that was explored in What We Buried.
“We survive by surviving.
We do it unconsciously,
the way our bodies remember to
breathe, even when we're asleep.
The first step is always deciding
to take the first step.”
Also, I listened to this groundbreaking song on repeat while reading, thanks to the most recent Skam clip that's been utterly and completely carved into my heart.
3.5/5 stars
Note: I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you're interested in buying What We Buried, just click on the image below to go through my link. I'll make a small commission!
This review and more can be found on my blog.
I've seen this poetry collection a number of times online, but had no idea what to expect until I opened the book and was instantly enchanted by the second poem titled “Three Questions.” And since I can’t narrow it down to just one quote - I’m in love with the whole of it and how each line adds something more - I've decided to share the full poem:
“My mother tells me
that when I meet someone I like,
I have to ask them three questions:
1. what are you afraid of?
2. do you like dogs?
3. what do you do when it rains?
of those three, she says the first one is the most important.
“They gotta be scared of something, baby. Everybody is. If they aren’t afraid of anything, then they don’t believe in anything, either.”I asked you what you were afraid of.
“spiders, mostly. being alone. little children, like, the ones who just learned how to push a kid over on the playground. oh and space. holy shit, space.”
I asked you if you liked dogs.
“I have three.”
I asked you what you do when it rains.
“sleep, mostly. sometimes I sit at the window and watch the rain droplets race. I make a shelter out of plastic in my backyard for all the stray animals; leave them food and a place to sleep.”
he smiled like he knew.
like his mom told him the same
thing.
“how about you?”
me?
I’m scared of everything.
of the hole in the o-zone layer,
of the lady next door who never
smiles at her dog,
and especially of all the secrets
the government must be breaking
it’s back trying to keep from us.
I love dogs so much, you have no idea.
I sleep when it rains.
I want to tell everyone I love them.
I want to find every stray animal and bring them home.
I want to wake up in your hair
and make you shitty coffee
and kiss your neck
and draw silly stick figures of us.
I never want to ask anyone else
these questions
ever again.”
Naturally after that I went on with quite high expectations that were for the most part met. The pieces after the above, though, focused heavily on love and heartbreak and “I’m in love with the shape of you” style poems, which I wasn't really feeling... Also, poems like “Do not fall in love with people like me” set my mood from 100 to 0 real quick.
But just when I was starting to worry that this collection was going to be all about relationships and their aftermath, the narrative shifted to center on feelings of strength with feminist undertones, and I was all the more enraptured. Here are a few of those:
In the end, I was won over by the sheer power I felt while reading about the ineffable strength and endurance, suffering and survival that was explored in What We Buried.
“We survive by surviving.
We do it unconsciously,
the way our bodies remember to
breathe, even when we're asleep.
The first step is always deciding
to take the first step.”
Also, I listened to this groundbreaking song on repeat while reading, thanks to the most recent Skam clip that's been utterly and completely carved into my heart.
3.5/5 stars
Note: I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you're interested in buying What We Buried, just click on the image below to go through my link. I'll make a small commission!
This review and more can be found on my blog.
Read
January 9, 2015I am still learning how to ask
the important questions, like
“Do you want children?” or
“How do you take your coffee?”
so I'm sorry if I stare at your mouth
and ask if you've ever swallowed
a dandelion seed, instead.
(Kindling)
One day, it will be better.
I will put the pen down
and forget how to remember the nights I tried
to write you out of my system like an addiction.
It will be remarkable and I'll still want to call you.
(Bend the light)
I am earth. I am sun and skies.
I am the high road, the low road.
I am every poem about skin.
I am a world that cannot be explored in one day.
I am not a place for cowards.
(Stretch marks)
I tell myself: No one can hurt you if you hurt yourself, first.
They will be too busy helping you clean up the mess.
(Funny girl)
Everything I write is a love letter
to things that can't be touched.
I am writing this poem to remember everything
that is bigger and more brutal than me.
Stars are not small or gentle.
They are writhing and dying and burning.
They are not here to be pretty.
I am trying to learn from them.
(Sky poem)
the important questions, like
“Do you want children?” or
“How do you take your coffee?”
so I'm sorry if I stare at your mouth
and ask if you've ever swallowed
a dandelion seed, instead.
(Kindling)
One day, it will be better.
I will put the pen down
and forget how to remember the nights I tried
to write you out of my system like an addiction.
It will be remarkable and I'll still want to call you.
(Bend the light)
I am earth. I am sun and skies.
I am the high road, the low road.
I am every poem about skin.
I am a world that cannot be explored in one day.
I am not a place for cowards.
(Stretch marks)
I tell myself: No one can hurt you if you hurt yourself, first.
They will be too busy helping you clean up the mess.
(Funny girl)
Everything I write is a love letter
to things that can't be touched.
I am writing this poem to remember everything
that is bigger and more brutal than me.
Stars are not small or gentle.
They are writhing and dying and burning.
They are not here to be pretty.
I am trying to learn from them.
(Sky poem)
December 3, 2017
3.5
I mean, I hope you're happy,
but the sky is still the sky without you,
and I'm not surprised by that anymore.
I mean, I hope you're happy,
but the sky is still the sky without you,
and I'm not surprised by that anymore.
June 19, 2017
After Sylvia Plath's Ariel, I find myself reading another book of poems in one go, in one sitting. When I got this book, I cringed a little realizing it's a collection of love poems. But the contents weren't sappy at all. Is this volume a testament of love? More like a witness. Like a Fool that won't Die, I still truly believe in its simplicity. Short and powerful, each and every poem was like an Elm tree in a forest planted by Siehl herself. It isn't a lengthy volume, it's rather slim. Ariel was a bigger book comparatively but unlike Plath, Siehl uses simple language, no need to decipher, it's pretty easy to read, enjoy, and still be amazed. The Wordlings are truly delightful. Of course Plath used heavy symbolism and metaphors, so many meanings behind her every word. It's really not fair comparing the two. I can't help but think of Airel as I read this. All the poems here were light and breezy that dissolved on tongue quite deliciously, making me go boom boom boom ala Jenny Lee. On whole, overall I liked all the poems but I'm partial to Kindling, Prey, In this Story, Maybe Eve was a Wild Thing ( my favorite ) The Poet ( loved it) but really all the entries were impressive.
Length can be an illusion sometimes, because despite the diminutive size the volume had an impact on me. I'd be reading this again. Though because it was so good I felt swindled when it was actually finished, here I can't help but quote WARPAINT gimme more gimme more. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention how young the author is although clearly a veteran, still at twenty she exhibits such depth and rawness. She must be commended and applauded for command of the language, the way she twisted and molded the words. This affirms what I have been saying for a while now, that talent is inherent and ageless. I feel duly validated, haha.
The edition I have is just so gorgeously designed, the texture, cover and all. Read it. Read it again. Alone. Or with someone. To someone. Just read. And read this.
Addendum : oh, oh, oh! I just remembered! I really really dug the illustration of a shovel and pile of dirt at the end of What We buried, cute. Symbolizing the obvious, kinda like the ending in the Departed.
August 9, 2016
A collection of poems that explores what's it like be in love and what it's like to fall out of love; the passion, the longing, the hope, the anger, the frustration, the heartbreak and everything in between.
The book starts with the poet falling deeply and profoundly in love. It also explores the void left after the separation.
As the book goes on nonetheless, the poems stop being about her lover and slowly become more about herself.
I loved everything about the book; the lovely design of the cover, the witty flow of words, the astounding images and the passion put into it.
If you're looking for something moving and touching, I highly recommend it.
The book starts with the poet falling deeply and profoundly in love. It also explores the void left after the separation.
As the book goes on nonetheless, the poems stop being about her lover and slowly become more about herself.
I loved everything about the book; the lovely design of the cover, the witty flow of words, the astounding images and the passion put into it.
If you're looking for something moving and touching, I highly recommend it.
September 23, 2018
"I will go to my grave with the memory of bravery in my bones.”
July 21, 2021
She captured two states beautifully:
"All I know is I spend too much time
imagining your fingers and how they would flutter
while you play the piano.
Sometimes I pretend my spine is a keyboard,
and you run a scale up
my back, just to see if I'm in tune.
My world is so full of you that
the hum of the ocean even sounds like your name"
And
"May you learn to love what is holy in you.
May you learn to love what is not.
To the ones that have not loved you like you deserve,
may you forget their names.
May you remember your own, always.
Amen. Amen."
Despite being a fan of the traditional form of poetry (I have a weak spot for rhymes), I really enjoyed reading it, and I was impressed to know that she wrote most of them when she was only 18!
"All I know is I spend too much time
imagining your fingers and how they would flutter
while you play the piano.
Sometimes I pretend my spine is a keyboard,
and you run a scale up
my back, just to see if I'm in tune.
My world is so full of you that
the hum of the ocean even sounds like your name"
And
"May you learn to love what is holy in you.
May you learn to love what is not.
To the ones that have not loved you like you deserve,
may you forget their names.
May you remember your own, always.
Amen. Amen."
Despite being a fan of the traditional form of poetry (I have a weak spot for rhymes), I really enjoyed reading it, and I was impressed to know that she wrote most of them when she was only 18!
December 6, 2018
I loved this so so much. I knew I would when I read Caitlyn's poems on Instagram, and especially after hearing her read a few of these poems in person. She is incredible, and I can't wait to read more from her.
April 30, 2014
This is possibly the most moving collection of poems I have read to date. I felt as though I was reading about my own life. Caityln's soft, gentle language weaves into your skin and you come away feeling as though you should love yourself more, be braver, and respect every single one of your emotions. I couldn't recommend this book more highly. It is beautiful beyond any string of words that I would be able to put together.
September 2, 2023
Absolutely brilliant.
January 2, 2018
"Stars are not small or gentle. They are writhing and dying and burning. They are not here to be pretty. I am trying to learn from them."
Beautiful. Just beautiful.
Beautiful. Just beautiful.
February 28, 2020
3.5
The first half of the poetry collection (love/relationships) was OK. The second half which had poems on feminism I preferred more since I haven't read many collections on feminist poetry before. Available to read on KU!
The first half of the poetry collection (love/relationships) was OK. The second half which had poems on feminism I preferred more since I haven't read many collections on feminist poetry before. Available to read on KU!
June 14, 2019
The first half were mainly love poems and I couldn't really connect with them, so it felt a bit repetitive for me (doesn't mean I didn't like some, though). However, the second half had some powerful feminist poems that I really enjoyed and I ended up highlighting a few lines. Overall, it was good - I just don't think poetry is for me.
October 23, 2018
Absolutely Magnificent Work
Siehl's writing is just as beautiful as I remember it being when I was 16 a s needed someone. I connected to this immensely.
Siehl's writing is just as beautiful as I remember it being when I was 16 a s needed someone. I connected to this immensely.
May 18, 2022
this is just like every other modern poetry book after milk and honey
August 28, 2018
"Tell them you don't know how Eve felt
when she saw Adam in one hand,
and the rest of the universe in the other.
Tell them you don't know how Eve felt
when she wanted the universe."
Manche Gedichte mochte ich wirklich gerne und andere weniger
when she saw Adam in one hand,
and the rest of the universe in the other.
Tell them you don't know how Eve felt
when she wanted the universe."
Manche Gedichte mochte ich wirklich gerne und andere weniger
January 8, 2023
"WHEN THE BOYS COME"
I will not teach you to be afraid of your anger
so that you look for it in others.
When the boys try to tell you to soften up,
I hope you make them bleed with your edges.
I hope you remember that you are not theirs,
that their disappointment in you is not yours.
...
"THE FIRST WORD I TEACH MY DAUGHTER"
The first word I teach my daughter will be “No.”
She will sing it to me and scream it at me and I will never tell her to quiet down. She will say it
when I tell her to go to bed,
when I tell her she can't have any more candy or watch any more television.
“No” will be my daughter's favorite word. Not only will I teach her how to say it,
but I will teach her to repeat it over and over
again until every single atom in her tiny little body hums with it.
I will take her to museums and show her what marble and stone can become.
I will brush her hair and let her wear whatever she wants. If this makes her a warrior in a field
of flowers,
then she will walk without fear of being trampled on. The first word I teach my daughter will be
“No”
and when she grows up in a world that tells her that she can't walk down the street by herself,
that “No” will be heard.
It will roar and echo down the block and she will never be told to keep silent.
She will not know the meaning of the word.
...
"A LETTER TO MY FUTURE SON"
I will love you constantly, fervently, always.
I will teach you the value of the word “no” so that,
when you hear it, you do not question it.
...
"SURVIVAL"
This is how we survive: We survive.
I have learned that there aren't tricks for breaking the fingers
of the things that choke us in our sleep. There aren't remedies that take away heartache without
the word “time”
written sympathetically across our therapist's face. We survive by surviving.
We do it unconsciously,
the way our bodies remember to breathe, even when we're asleep. The first step is always deciding
to take the first step.
The second step is miserable
and we usually trip down the stairs, then wait months before climbing back and starting again.
What I'm trying to say is, be patient.
I will not teach you to be afraid of your anger
so that you look for it in others.
When the boys try to tell you to soften up,
I hope you make them bleed with your edges.
I hope you remember that you are not theirs,
that their disappointment in you is not yours.
...
"THE FIRST WORD I TEACH MY DAUGHTER"
The first word I teach my daughter will be “No.”
She will sing it to me and scream it at me and I will never tell her to quiet down. She will say it
when I tell her to go to bed,
when I tell her she can't have any more candy or watch any more television.
“No” will be my daughter's favorite word. Not only will I teach her how to say it,
but I will teach her to repeat it over and over
again until every single atom in her tiny little body hums with it.
I will take her to museums and show her what marble and stone can become.
I will brush her hair and let her wear whatever she wants. If this makes her a warrior in a field
of flowers,
then she will walk without fear of being trampled on. The first word I teach my daughter will be
“No”
and when she grows up in a world that tells her that she can't walk down the street by herself,
that “No” will be heard.
It will roar and echo down the block and she will never be told to keep silent.
She will not know the meaning of the word.
...
"A LETTER TO MY FUTURE SON"
I will love you constantly, fervently, always.
I will teach you the value of the word “no” so that,
when you hear it, you do not question it.
...
"SURVIVAL"
This is how we survive: We survive.
I have learned that there aren't tricks for breaking the fingers
of the things that choke us in our sleep. There aren't remedies that take away heartache without
the word “time”
written sympathetically across our therapist's face. We survive by surviving.
We do it unconsciously,
the way our bodies remember to breathe, even when we're asleep. The first step is always deciding
to take the first step.
The second step is miserable
and we usually trip down the stairs, then wait months before climbing back and starting again.
What I'm trying to say is, be patient.
November 12, 2017
2.5 stars
Not gonna judge this one too harshly because I realize the poet was super young when this was published, and it's her first book. But it definitely would have benefited from a little more diversity of topics. A lot of the poems began to feel the same: speaker has strained, somewhat volatile (but maybe just all in her head) relationship with a dude who doesn't seem like all that bad of a person. Idk, it seems like the speaker just has trouble processing the end of perfectly normal relationships. I guess I'm just a little bored of this trope after seeing it in umpteen different collections the past few years. Siehl is actually at her best when she's not writing about romance; there are some great poems towards the end where the speaker talks to her hypothetical children about the patriarchy, unrealistic beauty standards, and gender expression. In fact, those are the ones I happened to flip through in the book store and compelled me to buy this book (little did I know they weren't very representative of the collection as a whole). I also enjoyed the poems where the speaker was kind of in conversation with her mother. "Funny Girl," a poem about using humor as a defense mechanism against bullying about her weight, worked very well too. I would probably read another collection by Siehl, because there were a lot of poems here that were quite good, and more that showed potential. She just maybe needs the benefit of maturity to work past the cliché love poems.
Not gonna judge this one too harshly because I realize the poet was super young when this was published, and it's her first book. But it definitely would have benefited from a little more diversity of topics. A lot of the poems began to feel the same: speaker has strained, somewhat volatile (but maybe just all in her head) relationship with a dude who doesn't seem like all that bad of a person. Idk, it seems like the speaker just has trouble processing the end of perfectly normal relationships. I guess I'm just a little bored of this trope after seeing it in umpteen different collections the past few years. Siehl is actually at her best when she's not writing about romance; there are some great poems towards the end where the speaker talks to her hypothetical children about the patriarchy, unrealistic beauty standards, and gender expression. In fact, those are the ones I happened to flip through in the book store and compelled me to buy this book (little did I know they weren't very representative of the collection as a whole). I also enjoyed the poems where the speaker was kind of in conversation with her mother. "Funny Girl," a poem about using humor as a defense mechanism against bullying about her weight, worked very well too. I would probably read another collection by Siehl, because there were a lot of poems here that were quite good, and more that showed potential. She just maybe needs the benefit of maturity to work past the cliché love poems.
August 29, 2014
I absolutely am fascinated and in love with Caitlyn Siehl's poetry. She truly is a talented poet that writes in such a pleasant and profound way that it grasps the reader's attention from the very beginning. I happened to see an excerpt of "Do Not Fall In Love With People Like Me" on Facebook. After doing more research on her and her poetry I was instantly intrigued enough to buy her book. I was even more impressed after reading the entire book. I carry it with me to share to all my fellow poetry admirers. If you're looking for good soul touching poetry, this the book for you!
April 30, 2014
I read this book as soon as I got it in the mail and what a beautiful story it told. Caitlyn weaves her words to form quilts of desire and passion and heartache and it isn't hard to say that she weaves it inside of us, the readers. If you love poetry, this book is definitely for you. The hard work that went into this book is easy to see and you can see the poet's beauty reflecting out of it in each page.
May 6, 2014
After enjoying so much of her work online, I finally bought her book on Etsy. If I wasn't entirely in love before, I've fallen head-first now. I recognise poems that I have adored, and I've been introduced to new ones that have stolen my heart just the same. Beautiful words.
January 3, 2025
A good read, quick, and relatable. Simple and short poetry similar to others in this genre. I felt a lot of what was being said. Also, I really liked the title.
August 1, 2022
You do not have to repent
for the parts of you that
don't see the daylight
[...]
Bring me your bad, your worst,
your loneliest. I will kiss them each
where it hurts
I Am Not Afraid Of You
I am still learning how to ask
the important questions, like
“Do you want children?” or
“How do you take your coffee?”
so I'm sorry if I stare at your mouth
and ask you if you've ever swallowed
a dandelion seed, instead.
Kindling
Do not fall in love with people like me.
We will take you to museums and parks and monuments
and kiss you in every beautiful place
so that you can never go back to them
without tasting us like blood in your mouth.
[...]
You will get lost in the desperation, in the longing
for something that is always reaching,
but never able to hold.
Do Not Fall In Love With People Like Me
never looked back, except
on really, really bad days, when I needed
something to hurt so I pretended
you loved me but you were just bad at showing it
This Is Not A Love Poem
I tell myself I can be a funny girl, instead.
Funny girl can make people forget.
I tell myself: Don't you dare be sad in front of them.
Don't you dare cry.
[...]
I tell myself: No one can hurt you if you hurt yourself, first.
They will be too busy helping you clean up the mess.
Funny Girl
Everything I write is a love letter
to things that can't be touched.
Sky Poem
I am going to be angry, and because
I was never taught to embrace it,
I will hold it in, like a good girl.
Circus Tricks
When she wants to cut her hair off
or wear her brother's clothes,
you will feel the words in your mouth like marbles.
“You do not have to be pretty if you don't want to.
It is not your job.”
It's Not Your Job
You are not Atlas and the world is not a burden for you to carry.
A Letter For My Future Son
Misery is at its best when no one is around.
It dances with you at night and tucks you in
when morning comes.
The Mantra
for the parts of you that
don't see the daylight
[...]
Bring me your bad, your worst,
your loneliest. I will kiss them each
where it hurts
I Am Not Afraid Of You
I am still learning how to ask
the important questions, like
“Do you want children?” or
“How do you take your coffee?”
so I'm sorry if I stare at your mouth
and ask you if you've ever swallowed
a dandelion seed, instead.
Kindling
Do not fall in love with people like me.
We will take you to museums and parks and monuments
and kiss you in every beautiful place
so that you can never go back to them
without tasting us like blood in your mouth.
[...]
You will get lost in the desperation, in the longing
for something that is always reaching,
but never able to hold.
Do Not Fall In Love With People Like Me
never looked back, except
on really, really bad days, when I needed
something to hurt so I pretended
you loved me but you were just bad at showing it
This Is Not A Love Poem
I tell myself I can be a funny girl, instead.
Funny girl can make people forget.
I tell myself: Don't you dare be sad in front of them.
Don't you dare cry.
[...]
I tell myself: No one can hurt you if you hurt yourself, first.
They will be too busy helping you clean up the mess.
Funny Girl
Everything I write is a love letter
to things that can't be touched.
Sky Poem
I am going to be angry, and because
I was never taught to embrace it,
I will hold it in, like a good girl.
Circus Tricks
When she wants to cut her hair off
or wear her brother's clothes,
you will feel the words in your mouth like marbles.
“You do not have to be pretty if you don't want to.
It is not your job.”
It's Not Your Job
You are not Atlas and the world is not a burden for you to carry.
A Letter For My Future Son
Misery is at its best when no one is around.
It dances with you at night and tucks you in
when morning comes.
The Mantra
August 16, 2022
The only reason I’m not giving this book 5 stars is because it feels unfair to other books with greater literature.
I adore the poems written here; the similes, the metaphors, the way the author expressed emotions. My English teacher, Ms. Catherine, used to tell us to always show and never tell. And I love pieces that show you the emotions; whether its in facial expressions, in the eye glances, in the way the world shatters around them and rises from the dead all over again. And this book expressed feelings all right.
Personally, something that bothered me greatly, was how in the poem “the poem to end all poems” she described how she’d end… well– poems, and didn’t end the book the same way. Perhaps it’s for when she decides to write her last work, oh well.
I wanna quote certain excerpts from this book that really stood out for me, perhaps in aim to persuade anyone to read it.
• “wish I could touch my own heart instead of writing about what it must feel like.”
•“ if you walk into a room and notice what is missing from it,
It's still there, isn't it?
The first poem I wrote that wasn't about you
was still about you”
•“If they aren't afraid of anything, then they don't believe in anything,”
•“My world is so full of you that
the hum of the ocean even sounds like your name.”
•“out of all the ghosts who have come in and out of my bedroom,you’re the only one who didnt leave the bed cold. you’re the only one who kept the lights on.”
•“I cry if I sit still for too long because my body can't think
of any other way
to remind itself that it isn't dying”
•“when the skies parted and you realized that all angels are demons
who haven't been cast out yet”
•“Don't you dare apologize for the fierce love you have for yourself
and the lengths you go to preserve it”
I adore the poems written here; the similes, the metaphors, the way the author expressed emotions. My English teacher, Ms. Catherine, used to tell us to always show and never tell. And I love pieces that show you the emotions; whether its in facial expressions, in the eye glances, in the way the world shatters around them and rises from the dead all over again. And this book expressed feelings all right.
Personally, something that bothered me greatly, was how in the poem “the poem to end all poems” she described how she’d end… well– poems, and didn’t end the book the same way. Perhaps it’s for when she decides to write her last work, oh well.
I wanna quote certain excerpts from this book that really stood out for me, perhaps in aim to persuade anyone to read it.
• “wish I could touch my own heart instead of writing about what it must feel like.”
•“ if you walk into a room and notice what is missing from it,
It's still there, isn't it?
The first poem I wrote that wasn't about you
was still about you”
•“If they aren't afraid of anything, then they don't believe in anything,”
•“My world is so full of you that
the hum of the ocean even sounds like your name.”
•“out of all the ghosts who have come in and out of my bedroom,you’re the only one who didnt leave the bed cold. you’re the only one who kept the lights on.”
•“I cry if I sit still for too long because my body can't think
of any other way
to remind itself that it isn't dying”
•“when the skies parted and you realized that all angels are demons
who haven't been cast out yet”
•“Don't you dare apologize for the fierce love you have for yourself
and the lengths you go to preserve it”
January 6, 2025
3.5 - small and short and packs a punch for sure. I really don’t wanna sound conceited whatsoever but I can’t help but feel like Caitlin Siehls poetic voice is awfully similar to mine and thus reading these made me realise how method my poetry is becoming. Not saying this was bad, but poems felt repetitive, metaphors felt like they were forced, and the emotions explored were very limited. Still good tho
January 18, 2021
All of the poems in this book were so beautiful and flowed together to tell the story of a love that was amazing....until it wasn't anymore. It told the story of heart break and healing. How to put yourself back together and move on. It's okay to lose yourself, to be sad, to cry, as log as you get back up and learn to smile again.
March 4, 2020
One of my favorite poets to come back to. Beautiful.
June 20, 2021
i am the core of the earth, and i am burning so beautifully
March 16, 2022
some pretty lines but overal too repetitive, irritating and tumblr-esque
November 11, 2017
There were some poems that I didn't connect with but there are some gems here and I'm amazed to know that she wrote this in her 20s. I'd recommend this for any humam being.
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