Review of Forbidden Love Songs

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Chiwelite Obioma Mgbeoji
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Review of Forbidden Love Songs

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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Forbidden Love Songs" by Michael Carver.]
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5 out of 5 stars
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Forbidden Love Songs by Michael Carver is a collection of over seventy beautifully written poems that tells the story of a couple, madly in love with each other and the ups and downs they have faced in their quest to fan this love into flame. The first question one will ask before or perhaps after going through these beautiful poems is why the title was chosen for this collection of poems. We have always been taught that a very fat chunk of what love entails or should entail involves heavy expression. You cannot love someone and expect them to know. It has to be shown and always expressed, especially for assurance and reassurance.

Then, the poet, Michael Carver, pops us with a collection and titles it Forbidden Love Songs. The answer to this question lies in the reading of the poems. The reader will find out that the writer of this collection is in a relationship with another man. The fact that many humans have become exposed to and, to a large extent, well-educated about the intricacies of same-sex marriages has only led to very little societal acceptance of same-sex couples and gay persons. It is a no-brainer that the 90s were not the best times to be in love with a person of the same sex. Please read this book and enjoy the story it conveys.

There were so many positive aspects to this fantastic compilation of poems, and I particularly salute the bravery of the writer in making it happen. As someone who writes, I believe that everything one writes, no matter how personal it is and how hard one tries to hide it, will eventually see the light of day. What I mean is that for the poet to have written this, knowing the problems faced by same-sex couples, speaks volumes about his courage. I loved the way it was written in simple and comprehensive English. Many times, writers and poets try to show their linguistic supremacy by adopting huge words in their works. However, they forget that these words make their work difficult to understand, as many people run back to dictionaries to ascertain the meaning of the words used.

I also loved how the author refused to paint only the very colorful pictures of love as we know it today. He carefully goes into those aspects of love and passion that we do not talk about. These include insecurity, inadequacy, loneliness, and fear that you will not be loved back the way you love. I think this is what I loved the most about this work. I loved how some of the poems were written after tearful goodbyes in different airports. As a matter of fact, this even presents the reader with a discussion on distance and how it affects relationships. However, we learn that with persistence, loyalty, and togetherness, love can be maintained.

The book had no negative aspect, and the absence of errors says a whole lot about the work put in by the poet and his publishers to deliver a neat work of art.

I rate this collection of poems 5 out of 5 stars, and I joyfully recommend it to lovers of literature, especially people like me who know nothing about same-sex romantic relationships because they will find it educative.

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Forbidden Love Songs
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