4 out of 4 stars
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The Diva Chronicles: Poetry for Your Soul by Trina Vaughn brought tears to my eyes. So many of the poems inside spoke to me, it is truly an enriching collection. I found some of the formatting to be atypical, though with poetry I find atypical formatting adds to the experience rather than detracts. I only found one line with an error, and it was minor, and also didn’t take away from my experience.
My favorite poem out of The Diva Chronicles: Poetry for Your Soul was “Phenomenal Woman.” It made me think of my mother after she and my father had separated. For a few years, she was phenomenal, and did everything on her own. “Phenomenal Woman” tells of a woman who doesn’t need men, who is strong, smart, and proud of herself. Taking each struggle of life in stride and pushing onward to finish the tasks at hand. Like the other poems in this collection, we are encouraged to be strong, independent women.
While most of the poems aren’t race specific, there are a few specifically directed to and about the Black community. Vaughn worries in “Cultural Genocide” about crime rates within the Black community, and urges readers of color to not commit crimes against other people of color, which made me feel uncomfortable, as though Vaughn was suggesting people of color should target white people only. In “Warrior,” Vaughn uplifts the Black youth, encouraging them to earn degrees and thrive in our world. She points out that the world is a cold hard place, but that it is possible to survive and thrive if you are prepared. I don’t necessarily agree with her optimistic stance, but I hope that if youth did read this poem, it would encourage them.
I really found this collection to be uplifting. I read each poem twice, some thrice before coming to review it. Some of the poems felt like they were meant for me and only me. I think this collection would be an ideal gift for a woman going through a divorce or break-up. I thoroughly recommend it as a quick uplifting read. I could see myself reading the whole collection each night for a temporary period as a self-help of sorts.
I rate The Diva Chronicles: Poetry for Your Soul by Trina Vaughn 4 out of 4 stars. Though I found one line with minor errors, they didn’t detract from the experience, and the atypical formatting adds to the poetic reading experience. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the poems, and some touched me deeply and made me reassess some of my interactions in life. This book was excellent at motivating me to be strong and keep persevering through tribulations that may arise in life.
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The DIVA CHRONICLES Poetry For Your Soul
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