Black Butterfly

by Robert M. Drake

The Black Butterfly is a symbol of transformation and rebirth after death. Drake wrote this book for those who have lost someone in death and in life. This book is a collection of memories and experiences Drake lived after the death of one of his brothers. He promised he would write him a few words after he failed to complete the task while his brother was alive.

This book is everything… this book is for all who are breathing and for all who are no longer here.

This book is for you.

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction, Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Poetry Plays, Art and Photography

272 pages, Paperback

First published April 2, 2015

About the author

https://www.instagram.com/rmdrk/

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

“ Old photographs

We take pictures with people
so they could remember us
and leave memories behind
so they don’t forget us.
And the difference
between the two are the same.
We leave these moments
in the air,
hoping that somewhere
someone will find them
and make sense of everything
we chose to ignore.”

[Doms Candels · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chaos, love, stars, explosion, fire, losing yourself, strangers, feel, burn, exist, and the world. There are some really good poems in here that I found enchanting, but after awhile, it loses its magic, becomes repetitive. I don't know if it is my copy, but I found commas in awkward places (idk, it's turning into a pet peeve). Speaking of awkward, the "spaces" (you know,
when
you
enter like this
between
words when
you can
put one
simple
thought together?) between words are in an uncomfortable position, at least for me. You don't need to put lots of spaces just so it would look like poetry.

Having said that, Black Butterfly still deserves 3 stars for the following words stitched together:

The worst thing you could do is
tame the chaos in you.
It is like being told not to feel
when you are
walking through the fire.

Don’t think.
It complicates things.
Just feel, and
if it feels like home
then follow its path.

And she was always
willing to burn
for everything she
has ever loved.

I would like to be
the only thing
that could exist
in your sentence.
I want to be more
than just words.
I want to be
your art,
I want to be
your salvation.
Art is the only
thing that allows
us to be ourselves.

I am in the mood
to break apart
and let myself be consumed
by all
the things
I know
I would never be able
to recover from.

She wanted to leave
her mark in the
world
without getting
her heart too
attached to it.

I wanted the whole
world to smile
with me,
and I wanted to fill
their empty spaces
with laughter.

Without a little madness
I wouldn’t be able
to feel.
And if I can’t feel
then I’ll lose my mind.
And if I lose my mind
then I’ll lose my words.
This is how I love,
madly enough to lose
myself and feel all the
things I can’t
put into words.

I’m sorry I can’t
save the world;
I don’t want any part
in that.
I just want to be
remembered in a way
where I can mean
everything
to one person
and save them,
save them from all
the insecurities
this world has created.

I can’t remember what it
was like before you,
and I don’t even know how
we got here
but maybe that’s exactly
what I needed.

[Rossy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In one word: AMAZING.
In two words: READ IT.
I'm truly not a poetry fan, but this is one mesmerizing book.
It is haunting, powerful, deep, highly recommendable, and I'm pretty sure more than one poem will touch your soul.
I'll be reading it again and again and again!

[Once · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aside from the actual content, the physical copy of this book is just beautiful. I had never seen any book designed in the way this one is. Every couple pages would be white text on black paper and different illustration done in purely black and white. So interesting and cool.

Now to the even more beautiful content. It took me a while to read this one; not necessarily because it was long, because it wasn’t, it was just so much. Not only is the writing heart-wrenching, it actually makes you feel vulnerable as you read it. That was my experience, anyway. In a recent Instagram post, R.M. Drake stated that this book was dedicated to a late friend of his. You really do feel the love bleeding from his sentences as you read this masterpiece. It’s just so pure, honest, and raw. He writes about life and love so delicately, yet so bluntly. It almost makes you feel as if you should just be living for more.

I love everything that I’ve read from R.M. Drake so far, and I don’t think I’ll be stopping any time soon. - Bianca B.

[Jessi ❤️ H. Vojsk [if villain, why hot?] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe it is true

Maybe
we feel
empty
because we
leave
pieces of
ourselves
in all the
things
we used to
love.

[Amina (ⴰⵎⵉⵏⴰ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"That is what hell is like;
having something viciously brilliant inside of you,
but not believing in it enough to set it free"

"Maybe there was something out there, something that understood you
and for some odd reason
you let it slip away.
That’s life and sometimes that’s love"

"Here is one simple fact I have learned about people.
No one ever stays the same.
Some come, some go
and some never return.
Some take, some give
and some only dream.
Some want to be,
while others just are.
Some begin, some end
and some just never start at all.
Some are bright, some are dim
and some are always wishing they were more.
It never ends.
People are like hours,
they are changing all the time"

Sometimes it felt like he's reading your mind and sometimes it was like he just gets what you mean and that's the beauty of it, knowing that somewhere, someone feels the same way you do..

[Hiba · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so beautiful, too beautiful for my words to describe it, I found myself quoting so many poems of the book, poems that I certainly will come back to some time.
Even the book and its design are beautiful!
The content left me speechless, and I had to stop myself at so many poems and read them over and over again to absorb them. Because they felt just so accurate to me.

[Maha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so beautiful.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm pleased to inform you all that Black Butterfly, is a WONDERFUL, EXTRAORDINARY, FANTASTIC piece of art!
I read every single one of his words, and thought of the meaning behind every sentence, every paragraph and every poem.... I looked at each image and created a new story of my own, to only figure out it has its own story on the next page.

This book is everything… this book is for all who are breathing and for all who are no longer here.
This book is for you.

Many words that have wide range of explanation. I'm pretty sure that every person that reads this book will have a different meaning to it, a different explanation, a different memory!
I enjoyed reading each poem (some more than others) and recalling the memories I have, but also I was devastated when two in particular poems brought back sad thoughts that I wished to bury forever.
This book is like a song...

All it takes is one song to bring back a 1000 memories

and so is this book, you will smile, you will cry, you will think!! And maybe thats what I enjoyed most about this book, that it makes you think deeply about the things around you, to really appreciate the people you have in your life or had and due to certain circumstance arent apart of your life ~whether by death or just life happens~.

"There is no war among us,
but the war within ourselves."

I've always been a fan of poetry, but this, this is just a bunch of words formed together "wisely" to make a master piece!

Inner Truth
The funny things
about
advice is,
we always tell
others
the things
we cannot
really do
ourselves.

Beautifully written, Lovely illustrated. I honestly would recommend this to all those who have lost their inner love for poetry, who have lost someone so dear, who is still searching for themselves and cant find the right words to describe their situation.
My heart broke on the Robert Williams poem, it was so pure so honest. It reminded me of all the times I watched a movie because eh starred in it, of all the smiles he drew on many faces, of all the love he spread!
Also, another poem named Similarities reminded me of a my dearst friend so I just had to stop take a picture and send it to her.

Black Butterfly really is worth giving it a read!

[Kyle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I bought this book in the hopes that it would rekindle my love of poetry, and maybe, just maybe, get me writing again.

If anything, it has done the antithesis of spurring my dormant writer's hand into action. It has submerged the wont to a discontented winter in the far reaches of my creative mind.

I tried to like these poems. I really did. There were only two I could fully get behind, that did not feel repetitive or rambling. Those two are the only ones, out of the 80-odd poems in this book, that I found worthwhile.

[Marnie (Enchanted Bibliophile) · Rating 2 out of 5]

“We are the manifestation of a wild dream”



I did not connect with Drake at all on this one!
It felt so depressing and negative that I struggled to finish it.
I’m only giving it 2 starts because I LOVE the art!!!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The words spoken in these pages bleed out such life. Although I couldn't necessarily fully understand every single poem in this book, some poems floored me with their relation to my own experiences. And I think this whole book is beautiful and a huge inspiration for love. And seeing the beauty in chaos, and the beauty in the chaos of people.

When I read the dedication page I really felt that it rang true.

[Maha A · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been on a reading spree lately, trying to catch up on my reading challenge. From the books I've been reading, so far none have touched me like RM Drake's book has.

I think I highlighted everything inside..

Maybe that is why I
felt so empty sometimes.
I left my pieces in
the places that filled
me.

And in the end,
I lost myself
in everything I
knew I loved.

[JumbleofJargon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I should probably initiate this by saying I may not necessarily be the target audience for this book. I liked some of Drake's work on instagram, so I had high hopes for this. But the majority of the poems are about a guy drove mad by a girl or being heartbroken by a girl etc. I couldn't relate to any of that since I've never been in a serious relationship, but perhaps you will.

Let's start with the good, shall we? Three poems stood out to me. The first is Dark Seconds on page 174. I thought the writing was pretty but I didn't like the message. The second is the Robyn Williams poem on page 160. It was not incredible or even unique per say. But I just thought it was nice. A nice way to honor Robyn Williams. I also really liked the first stanza of Stolen Magic on page 246. I think a lot of people may be able to relate to it. However I hated the last stanza, especially the use of the word magic, it didn't feel like an appropriate word for the topic he was talking about. The final poem I think worth mentioning is Unlocked Cages on page 221. I absolutely abhorred the first two stanzas of the poem. However, I liked the last stanza. Maybe even really liked it. But there is a quality to it that frustrates me because I only relate to half of it and think it could appeal to a wider range of people if the wording was altered a little. That slight alteration could enhance the meaning of the poem overall.  The entire poem could be enhanced further if the first two stanzas were erradicated completely.  Perhaps I'll insert the few lines I really liked here later so you can see what I'm talking about. Alright, enough nitpicking.

This book made me happy. At the end. Because it was over. This did NOT need to be 245 pages! The writing style was irritating and the majority of these poems say the same thing with similar (not even varied) wording. It grew monotonous. In fact one poem around pg 80ish is literally the last few lines of another poem that preceeds it. At times, Drake makes these broad declarations as if they're irrefutable and apply to all. But there is power in "perhaps" Drake.

Considering I only only liked a few lines from 4 out of over 100 poems in this book, a star seems generous. 1 out of 5 stars is like a 20% (grade) and 4 out of over 100 is less than 4%. All in all, I think Drake could have made this book so much more potent if it was shorter and if he condensed the main ideas he reiterated 100 times in a hundred similar poems within 10 or so poems that actually vary and aren't repetitive.

[Denia Books & Baubles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Robert Drake. I think he's such an amazing author. This is the first book of his that I read but I do have the other ones. Now, while I have to finish reading some of the other books I have yet to finish and then I'll start with his other ones.
I like the passion to which he writes on. He's such a passionate author. And I love his poems, He is so real. He writes about real and relatable stuff. Is just such an amazing book. Give it a try.

[Yuthika · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*, to be precise. I was distracted when the renditions became repetitive. That is the only flaw I found with this book. I loved the poems, the way they were written, the way they touched my heart and moved my soul, and the way they made me reflect. "There is nothing out here...it is all inside; it is all in my head. The things that happen do not exist unless I give them meaning." Also, the illustrations are beyond beautiful - I believe the fact that I read this on my Kindle made the experience even more amazing; I could see the ink shifting from one page to the next.

[Julia Sapphire · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Adeeb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m very picky about poetry books, but this was surprisingly really well-written and relatable. I really enjoyed this and I hope to read more of his poetry collections.

Finally a poetry collection that resonates so well with me.

[Kalista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, Robert M. Drake is now my favorite author of poetry. This is the second book I have read from him TODAY and I want to read more. His poems just speak to me like no others does and I can’t even really explain it. It is just so gooood. 10/5⭐️ I recommend this to everyone even if you do not read poetry.

[Sofía De la Cuesta · Rating 4 out of 5]

¡Me gustó mucho! Ya seguía desde hace unos años a R.M Drake en Instagram porque me comenzaron a llamar la atención sus publicaciones. En un inicio, pensé que las frases que posteaba eran de otros autores o extractos de poesías, pero cuando me enteré de que todas son de su autoría, corrí a conseguir este libro. Un bellísimo libro de poesía que escribió luego de la muerte de su hermano. Denle una oportunidad, no se van a arrepentir.

[Stefan Gašić · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pun mi je kurac ovakve poezije

[ｅｌｌｉｅ · Rating 3 out of 5]

wow two years later and i finally finished the book, ma!
ahh not a smart idea to read the rest of these poems after watching a character death (Requiescat in pace, fratello Ezio)

[Hamsa · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book was lovely.

[Alanoud (Anna) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this in one day (actually less than a day, maybe 4 hours) the reason I stopped after I was 61% into the book is because I was realizing that I'm reading too fast and that soon I'm going to run out. But then I couldn't sleep and I was thinking about it so decided to finish it. So now that we've established how I read this.. Let me tell about this.
This is the second book I read by Robert m drake, I read a brilliant madness first and I was in love with almost every page. Now this one I actually picked because I was at Barnes and noble and I saw it but wasn't sure and then flipped the pages and it opened to this poem (it is not the end) and I fell in love and knew I had to get it. I am so glad I did. I loved this more than "a brilliant madness" it is more honest and genuine and just so lovely. It was so beautiful I wanted to cry. I may have cried a little. The graphics/illustration were so beautiful. This deserves more praise and I'm not sure I expressed enough how brilliant this is.
I was thinking of writing down the names of the ones I loved the most but I think I'm probably going to end up listing the whole book.

[Christina (Christina's Book Corner) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book review - Black Butterfly by Robert M . Drake  
The Black Butterfly is a symbol of transformation and rebirth after death. Drake wrote this book for those who have lost someone in death and in life. This book is a collection of memories and experiences Drake lived after the death of one of his brothers. He promised he would write him a few words after he failed to complete the task while his brother was alive. This book is everything… this book is for all who are breathing and for all who are no longer here. This book is for you.
 
I loved   Robert  M .  Drake's    writing     I connected  with   allot of the poems  I highly  recommend   you  read   them     
 
 
 
 
Lost World Maybe that is the problem with the world. We do not know what to feel and we do not know how to be ourselves.”

[Jessica Renea Brandon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm never the one to write negative reviews, I would rather not say anything at all. But I made an exception in this situation, because I have no idea what I just read. There also seemed to be a lot of grammatical errors that made it more difficult to decipher what he was trying to say: Did he really mean to put this or was it a mistake?

I don't understand the pictures. Were those pictures drawn or photographs that were taken? I really couldn't tell, but I didn't get anything ADDITIONAL to the poetry from seeing these pictures. I don't understand what the purpose is of them being in the book, and part of me wishes they weren't in there to begin with.

I'm just confused about the whole thing.

[Alaa · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 to be fair.

since its a creative expression I feel obliged to keep my opinion to myself.

[Aisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

breath taking.
I find myself re-reading it every now and then.

[Fa6amie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4/5 this is by far my favourite book of R M Drake, I enjoyed reading it <3

[Daisy Gonzalez · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't know why I keep on picking up these types of poetry books when I know I'm going to be disappointed every time🙄🤦🏼‍♀️