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Questions to Our Answers

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Questions to our Answers is a poetry and fiction book written by Timothy Joshua. It contains three main chapters, centred around answers to three main questions one would ask during different stages of a relationship.

The questions are:
What are we?
Where are we going?
How are we getting there?

The poems, juxtaposed together with short stories take readers on a deeply reflective journey within themselves as they contemplate the deepest thoughts, doubts and hopes they carry for their past and present relationships.

154 pages, Paperback

First published July 25, 2017

21 people are currently reading
368 people want to read

About the author

Timothy Joshua

3 books36 followers
Timothy Joshua Chia is a writer and poet based in Singapore. His ambition is to inspire and change the world, in whatever way he can. In writing, he wants to write, endlessly, infinitely, till the day his ink runs dry. More importantly, he wishes to share his experiences and his life with the world and to connect with different kindred souls through words.

Timothy believes that poetry is the art of stringing words like velvet to provide a blanket of solace through our darkest nights – nights which we all have. In return, he hopes to spread his words further and to hear people’s voices, and hopefully see that words could heal their brokenness.

More importantly, Timothy wishes to spread hope to others – which is why he often tries to include elements of optimism (in an eventual, big picture sort of way) in his writing, hoping to let readers know that everyone is broken one way or another, but that's fine, because while these fragments of us which are broken can make or break who we are, each fragment will seed a new beginning, with hope and words as our light to guide these seeds to full bloom.

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5 stars
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4 stars
37 (26%)
3 stars
21 (14%)
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3 (2%)
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4 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
Profile Image for Timothy Joshua.
Author 3 books36 followers
July 10, 2017
I have read and re-read this at least a hundred times so that you readers can get the book you deserve - I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing and editing it!

With you,
Timothy Joshua
Profile Image for Aiza Idris (biblio_mom).
622 reviews210 followers
June 15, 2021
“We are all questions, in search of the right answers- unwritten poes, infinite verses, waiting to be put into words.”

Poetry isn't something you can force upon someone into liking it and I'm not really sure myself what kind of poetry do I like. But this rhymes and vibes with me effortlessly, as if some of the poems are about my past and my present, how I used to feel and what am I currently feeling. Consisting of three main questions we often asked to ourselves, and the stories of three couples whose going through different stages in their relationships, facing with so many different problems; self doubt, trust issues, careers, distance, emotions roller coasters, and facing commitments in life, Joshua have written this book brilliantly, honestly and lively.

The book consists of three chapters in question forms, which is What Are We?, Where Are We Going?, and How Are We Getting There?, and there are three epilogue/short stories, which is The Train, The Flight, and The Confession. Each chapters are started off with the first half of three short stories that has their continuation at the end of the book where their stories are given conclusions or an end respectively.

The poems are about falling in and out of love, rejection, unrequited love, empty promises, false hope, abusive relationship, or LOVE with all its happiness and sadness in general if I would say. Poems with bookish metaphore is definitely my kind of thing, take My Favourite Book as an example ;
I still remember the first time we met-
I was hooked from the synopsis,
and every page tool me out of this world.
I’ll never tire of reading and re-reading every page.
I’ll never be able to put you down or let you go-
you are and always will be my favourite book.

Reading these poems gave me a whole set of emotions; butterflies flutters in my stomach, giddiness, anger, warm, dissapointed, fluffy, happy. It somehow feels like a recollection of my love life in the past and present. I genuinely think these beautifully currated words are a piece of arts. There is also a crosswords puzzle poem on page 17. Its brilliant. Overall, Timothy’s poetry is very aesthetically instagrammable (if you know what I mean :D).

Profile Image for farahxreads.
706 reviews259 followers
Read
September 17, 2018
"and there she stood,
her eyes holding the glory of the sun,
and her hands keeping my world alive."
Profile Image for nabilahwashere.
53 reviews49 followers
October 11, 2017
This was just waay too cliche for my taste and the portrayal of love is much too clingy and dependent. The writing was also underwhelming though I could appreciate the author's attempt to include metaphors and flowery writing.
Profile Image for Irshika.
16 reviews1 follower
January 13, 2018
Beautifully written and I enjoyed every part of it💕👌
Profile Image for Eyqa  Zaque (The Hundred Pages) .
161 reviews19 followers
June 9, 2021
First, thanks to Penwings Publishing for sending me a copy of this book! Honestly, I never knew I would fall in love with poetry again until I read this.

Blurb
“Our eyes are but a pair of questions,
always in search for the right answer.
And in you, I think”

My heart is already twisted from this welcoming blurb, so ready your heart, and let us explore the most beautiful words and feelings in the world and what is in between.

This book is divided into three parts with each of them having its own short stories and poems that resonate with it. It is surprising how various kinds of feelings have been intensely crammed into just a few words. This makes the reading more impactful, delivered directly into one's very heart.

This book carries the pieces of my heart in it. - Foreword

With that foreword, it's no wonder that it feels so near to the heart. Legend says to have something made from the heart will make it easily acceptable for another heart. In the moment, reading the poem makes you imagine the scene in your head: the warmth of the sun, the blue color of the sky while on the plane, the busy sounds at the train station… ahh it makes you want to be free again, far away from this pandemic.

I’ll never be able to put you down or let you go
- you are and always will be my favorite book.

My fave poems are those with books mentioned; oh my God this is just so intimate to me as a reader, for that feeling of having your fave person by your side is like having your fave book close, always soothing and always making you want to ‘revisit’ by rereading it again. The author has done an amazing job on this piece!

Do you know what it feels like,
To type your name again, and again? - Online

The poetry in this book does not just talk about love, longing, and hope, but the feeling that has been collected between the gaps as well. The feeling that has been there the whole time but left unseen or ignored.

What surprised me the most? Even a short story and poem has their own twist! The writing in this book is true evidence that a plot twist also can exist in its sweetest form. This book ended with an epilogue you don’t want to skip.

Deep down I am thankful for this book, thank you @timoteijosh for this lovely piece, the kind of reading that makes words be able to echo feeling in themselves. Oh my, my expectations for poetry will never be the same again.

I recommend this to those who love simple yet dramatic prose, or to those who are beginners to poetry; you never know what book will make you fall in love with reading once again.
Profile Image for Melody.
1 review
August 28, 2017
This book is well-written and a pleasure to read. Each line is packed with depth. Definitely the best collection of poems and short stories packaged in a beautiful book! Won't be long before I go through another round of this book again for sure.
Profile Image for Effa Izzaty.
51 reviews39 followers
December 25, 2018
"I've never wanted to let anyone else in,
but I knew you were different the moment I met you.
You had a way with your words and your eyes -
they have found a way inside of me,
and their warmth disarms me,
to lay my armour down."
Profile Image for Baiduri MRosli.
10 reviews1 follower
June 30, 2021
The only word that fit this book - lovely.

A book that i definitely will read again and again.
This is the second (or third) time i re-read this book.

Still, i fall in love with the words.

Very recommended to to be read during the days we are seeking for love story.

<3
Profile Image for Charissa Ty.
Author 7 books98 followers
July 11, 2017
I love how he frames the context in the form of short stories before introducing his poems. Beautiful. And that makes him Penwings material.
Profile Image for charlyn.
1 review
October 20, 2017

This is the best poetry book I have ever read. It is truly moving and I read it every day before I sleep. You are the best writer in the world!! <33
Profile Image for Plainqoma.
699 reviews16 followers
December 10, 2017
I love how he starts everything with a short stories. While reading all the poems I thought to myself this is sad, cliche and sad ending but turned out the ending of each short stories so lovely.
Profile Image for Nas.
149 reviews67 followers
February 19, 2020
Beautifully written. Most of the poems speak of my heart
Profile Image for Fatinfarzanaa.
48 reviews
October 21, 2020
I can feel the utmost heart-breaking when the poems talking about the sad one and i can feel like the love is in the air when i read about the sweet one eventhough I am ultimately single!!! 😂
Profile Image for faryna syaza.
72 reviews13 followers
December 24, 2021
Did this book just break me? Yes,yes it just DID. I think my favourite ones are going to be "My Favourite Book" and "The Break". But im loving all the poetries !!
Profile Image for risya reads.
69 reviews1 follower
May 27, 2022
Might be useful for my Literature. As I got latest assignment that needed me to write poem. I read this and I get the idea already.
Profile Image for Faye.
609 reviews177 followers
January 12, 2023
a book of heartfelt poetry and prose that i am glad to have finally picked up after hearing many good things of the poet’s work 💌
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews

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