{"id":38567,"date":"2022-11-05T23:22:17","date_gmt":"2022-11-06T03:22:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=38567"},"modified":"2022-11-05T23:25:05","modified_gmt":"2022-11-06T03:25:05","slug":"review-of-somebody-give-this-heart-a-pen-by-sophia-thakur","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=38567","title":{"rendered":"Review of Somebody Give This Heart a Pen, by Sophia Thakur"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Somebody Give This Heart a Pen<\/em><\/p>\n

by Sophia Thakur<\/p>\n

Candlewick Press, 2020. First published in the United Kingdom in 2019. 99 pages.
\nReview written October 24, 2020, from a library book<\/p>\n

This is a book of poems, and Sophia Thakur is a performance poet. Learning that, I wasn\u2019t surprised that several of the poems made me want to read them aloud.<\/p>\n

The poems talk about writing out your feelings, and they do express feelings remarkably well. Many of the poems are about loving but breaking up, and some of those made me nod my head at the Truth.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the start of a poem called \u201cLet Hurt\u201d:<\/p>\n

Sometimes
\nto heal once and one time only
\nfirst we must properly hurt.
\nTo understand the sadness that stifles us
\nwe must let it stifle us first
\nlet it sink its teeth deep into our eyes
\nand let whatever leaks out purse
\nits lips against our cheeks
\nlike a kiss asking us to be patient
\nto slow dance with the aching
\nto understand its twists and turns<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here\u2019s the end of my favorite poem, called \u201cSprouting.\u201d It\u2019s about new life after healing from a break-up.<\/p>\n

This growth is not for you or in spite of you.
\nIn fact it stopped being about you once I let go of you.
\nBut I\u2019m healed enough to be honest.
\nIt did take being emptied by you
\nto reseed
\nand to bloom.
\nSo I guess this is me thanking you
\nfor forcing me to move.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And here\u2019s the beginning of the final poem, \u201cWhen to Write\u201d:<\/p>\n

When your fists are ready to paint faces
\nWhen there is nowhere to confide
\nWhen your skin lingers high above your bones
\nand you\u2019re so out of touch with self,
\nWrite.
\nWhen the mouth fails
\nand shyness strangles
\nand your throat becomes tight,
\nWrite.
\nWhen your eyes won\u2019t dry,
\nWrite.
\nBefore you fight
\nBefore you fall,
\nWrite.
\nWhen they lie to you
\nWhen they hurt you
\nWhen they leave you,
\nWrite.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I so glad somebody gave that heart a pen.<\/p>\n

candlewick.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Teen_Nonfiction\/somebody_give_this_heart_a_pen.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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