Feeling This Way

Product Information

Yet the way in which he discusses his past relationship suddenly does become understandable in a sense that the reader sympathises with his situation.

By using LibraryThing you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. It was so incredibly beautiful and relatable yet Esqueda speaks about a partially closeted-romance which at first I didn't completely connect with emotionally. i'm gonna start by saying i think this book has some really great one-liners and a really strong, needed message. For my taste the writing style is a bit too literal and leaves almost nothing to interpretation, but after I started reading this with a bit of sad music in the background it hit different. in a way, it felt very elementary with similes that fell short and untitled poems––i craved a depth and complexity that these poems never quite delivered.This was my first time reading a book of poetry, aside from things I've read in my English Literature classes, and I think this was a perfect book to start with as it was relatable and comforting in a way that was unexpected. But it also makes you realise that if you think this person is truly worth it, then don't leave because you are scared. This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and (if not signed in) for advertising.

At first I read this with the plan to really focus on the poetry but then realised how simple and straightforward the poems are. This work didn’t feel cohesive, I found myself really resonating with a singular line, only for the rest of the poem to consist of what seemed like random words thrown together. One of the most fascinating things I found about this collection of poems was the ability he had to unlock emotional memory within me as the reader. From the crushing pain of loss to the elation of new love to the struggle of forging your own path, the messages in this book are ubiquitous, but also distinctly personal to the reader. If you’re going through heartbreak you will probably love this book, however as I am not maybe my perspective is harsh.

As I mentioned previously, this was more frustrating than anything as I feel this poet has real considerable prospectives. Ben's first book of poetry, ‘Intoxicated Heart’, was released in 2019 and his sophomore effort, 'Feeling This Way', was published in June 2022.

So my final thoughts are, if you need to something to help you cope with conflicting and complicated thoughts about your relationship, whether that me romantic or platonic, read this. Didn’t really resonate with a lot of them at the time of reading but when I’m feeling those ways, this book will be great to go back to!What really hit home even more was that I was reading this through a tough time, which possibly affected me even more because it did hit me like a ton of bricks at certain lines. The variety of form in these poems makes it really lovely to read and makes the emotions truly jump off the page. Now, whilst I do feel this poet holds a substantial amount of potential with some of these poems holding a profound message, I do feel this poetry book left me with something to be desired. Probably because it offers another perspective that still connects with you and makes you feel that you aren't alone in your feelings which is quite nice, especially when feeling low and gloomy.