Review of isithunzi

[Aisha Yakub]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "isithunzi" by Stuart Brkn Johns.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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For Stuart Brkn Johns, poetry is his home, and he invites readers to come for a visit. His deep thoughts are brought to life in poetry books. He was born in South Africa, and he describes himself as an avid reader and writer. Though diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder in 2012, he has proven himself to be an embodiment of artistic talents.

Isithunzi by Stuart Brkn Johns is a collection of dark poetry. In this book, different poems are addressing various issues. Some of them include civil unrest, death, and violence. The poems in this book display a mastery of words. Though short, their depths can be felt if you pause long enough to reflect on them.

It's always a nice feeling to be drawn into an author's world. In this book, Stuart did a good job of helping readers explore his "home". One of the poems I connected to was about death. We grow to love people. People become part of our lives for many years. When they die, it's always hard to come to terms with the realization. There is no doubt that the poem comes from a place within, as he lets readers know that he has just cast the ashes of his aunt and daughter into the ocean. He describes the feeling as a humbling experience; the people he knew had become ashes to be cast into the sea. In addition, I enjoyed the play on words. Though many stanzas did not have a defined rhyme scheme, the connection between the words was amazing. In one poem, he talked about not having a muse. However, upon "reflection", he realizes that the sun is his muse. I found the author's choice of words to be interesting.

I enjoyed discovering the messages the author passed. Some poems had more clarity than others. For some others, it took a lot of time to catch the messages. Some poems left me confused, as I had problems understanding them. I felt like it became a chore to unravel the mystery of certain poems. This was the only negative aspect I encountered. This book was professionally edited; I barely came across errors. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I am deducting a star because of the lack of clarity some poems had. Other than that, I strongly felt this was a masterful piece. I enjoyed getting into the mind of the author.

I recommend this book to lovers of poetry. If you like dark poetry or thought-provoking pieces, this is a book for you.

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isithunzi
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