Bitmo Sunday book review

Sunday Book Review Emotional #Poetry by John Roedel, Untied

Published on by dgkaye

Today’s Sunday Book Review is for John Roedel’s Untied – The Poetry of how Knots Become Strings. I was introduced to Roedel’s free verse poetry by my lovely friend Jane Sturgeon. She shared one of his poems with me that moved me immediately, so off I went to Amazon to order a paperback copy. I prefer poetry books in paperback so I can dog-ear poetry I wish to go back and read again. I quite honestly, got hooked on free verse poetry from reading quite a few books by Frank Prem.

Get this book on Amazon

Blurb:

The knots in our stomachs can still be untangled. The binds we tether our hands together with can still be undone. There is still time for us to untangle rope we tied around our necks. This is the poetry of for those trying to live that is not tethered to our past mistakes or future worries. This is the poetry for anybody who wants to become unbound from their regret. This is the poetry of breaking free of all that keeps us from rising. This is the poetry of letting all that binds us slip away so we can chase the horizon. This is the poetry of how knots can become strings.

My 5 Star Review:

I’m so glad a friend had shared one of these heartfelt poems with me, which had me ordering a paperback copy of this moving book of poetry, pronto. Roedel’s poetry is deep and raw with no holds back. It felt to me that this type of poetry couldn’t be fictional as the author expresses both, the beauty and pain of incidences in life as poetic short stories where he takes us right into his heart-grabbing passages. Many of these passages indicate to me, the author had to have lived much of what he wrote because of the deep emotion in his words that makes me feel as though he lived his stories, his tellings will seep deep within a reader’s soul.

In this book you’ll find poetry on love, childhood, fears, darkness, life, and death, parents, children, and more. Some will make you smile, some will bring a tear, but these poetic stories are guaranteed to leave an impact. A timeless book to pick up again and again.

There are so many passages that I found myself identifying with such as:

Excerpt from – What’s Left?

“I’m destroyed, ” I said while standing amid the

smoldering ruins of all that I once thought mattered.

“No, you aren’t,” God replied to me through the

sound of the freezing January wind passing

through pines.“

“But everything is gone… ” I offered quietly.

“Not everything, my love.” God said through the

bits of sunlight peeking through the ashen post-

snowfall clouds.“

“What’s left?” I asked.

God spoke through the plops of water coming from

the slowly melting icicles:

“Your recovery.”

Excerpt from What’s Left? By John Roedel

Excerpt from Pulling Strings

“Love is a piece of endless

yarn that each of us agree to

hold on to an end of

gently between our fingers

so that when we get separated

from one another

by the illusion of death

we can tug it

ever so softly

to send each other messages

back and forth through the slack

as if to say:

“I’m still here.”

Excerpt from Pulling Strings by John Roedel

©DGKaye2021

41 thoughts on “Sunday Book Review Emotional #Poetry by John Roedel, Untied”

  1. I am not a big poetry reader, but the samples you’ve shared are very moving, and I understand why you’ve felt compelled to buy a copy. Thanks for sharing your review and congratulations to the author.

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  10. I love you, Debby. ❤ John's poems are raw and yes, I feel he has lived what he expresses so eloquently. His words move me to tears. ❤ UB, always. ❤ xXx

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  13. I love the samples you shared, Debby, and like you’ve already heard, I can understand why John’s poetry moved you. The ending of the first poem was powerful and I didn’t see it coming. And the image of a pulling string to stay connected is brilliant. I look forward to reading this book. Thanks for the introduction and great review. ❤️

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    1. Thank you John. I know it may not be for everyone, but I share reviews on all books I read, and as an author, I know there’s someone for every book, not everyone. 🙂

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  15. Great review, Debby. I really felt those poems. I wish there was a kindle version to read before I commit to a paperback, but I still might buy the paperback 🙂

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  16. Oh my, this is really good, Debby, from the blurb to your review to the excerpts. Especially the excerpts. I can totally feel the emotions in them and I understand why you felt so compelled to share these two. I remember those photos you posted where the sunlight had very interesting rays and colors – the halo – only visible in the photos.. And, the second examp,e, of course, was very relatable. Thanks for sharing!

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