The Chaos of Longing

From the trigger warning all the way through to the last page, it is not humanly possible for me to be more impressed with this extraordinary author based on her meaningful poetry!

I enjoyed reading these poems, it gave me an insight into what it may feel like to be in particularly difficult situations. It is a very sensitive book, and has a trigger warning, and discretion is advised when reading. I really liked Robinson's writing style, and the choice of words was perfect!

Over the past year, poetry has become one of my favourite genres. It has given me words that I can identify with, that I can hold close to my heart and know that I’m not alone. Others feel what I feel, others have gone through similar situations. It’s also showed me different perspectives, points of view that I perhaps wouldn’t have considered. It has opened up a whole new world for me, so I was very excited to read this particular poetry collection as it sounded similar to several other poetry books that I have recently read.

While K.Y. Robinson is undoubtedly a talented writer and her poems are beautiful, I didn’t really feel a connection to the words. It felt like I was a person looking through a window, I could see what was happening inside, but couldn’t do anything to interact with those on the inside. I wasn’t expecting such a sexually themed collection of poetry. I didn’t feel anything about those pieces, but I did enjoy her poems on self-worth, self-love, and self-confidence. The final section of the book was most definitely my favorite and the most enjoyable to read. It reminded me of The Princess Saves Herself in This One and Love, And You, two books I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

So, while I didn’t personally connect with much of the poetry on an emotional level, I am in awe of the author’s honesty. The collection is often brutal and painful, especially the beginning. Robinson has poured out her heart and laid herself bare. This is why you should give this collection a try. I will definitely be picking up her next book because while I wasn’t always emotionally invested in each poem, there was still enough to keep me curious and wanting more.

The Chaos of Longing is a debut poetry and prose collection by K.Y. Robinson, a self-proclaimed introvert writer. Her collection is divided into four parts with all of them exploring different aspects of sexuality and longing, relationships and trauma, self-love and heartache.

The Chaos of Longing is a very raw collection. With its brutal honesty and passion, I understand it is not a collection suited for everyone. While I enjoyed the almost vivid descriptions of sexual scenes, I can understand why someone may have found them uncomfortable. Robinson never shies away from anything and that’s what makes her shine.

A part that really reasonated with me was the sexualization of young girls’ bodies. I grew up early. I was always one of the tallest girls in school, my hips were wider, my breasts were fuller. Men twice my age would stare at me at the street. I had barely finished primary school when some guys in their early twenties flirted with me. These are things I’ve had to live with for far too long, and seeing them depicted on page really meant a lot to me.

I found the third part, Chaos, to be one of the most realistic parts of the entire collection. With a captivating honesty and just a few words, Robinson depicted perfectly unhealthy, toxic relationships and the effect these have on women. Her depiction wasn’t only accurate; it was respectful and authentic, and a part of her poetry that I think is too relatable.

As for the last part? That was cathartic. Highlighting self-love and the importance of healing, Robinson finishes off a powerful collection with a positive, welcoming message.



**An ARC was provided via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review**

Reading the poems felt as though the author knew things about my life that were difficult to go through but have shaped the person I am today. Packed with raw images and emotions, the poems are heartfelt and relatable. I read it all in one sitting. Absolutely loved it!

This collection has made me re-think my concept of poetry.

Since starting I got captivated by the ideas and feelings captured here, but yet after I finished I found myself lost at words. I can't remember a single poem, and there's not one thing that truly resonated with me.

While some of them are incredible and heartfelt, other poems read to me like just a scramble of words. Like a regular sentence or one of those 6am pre-coffee thoughts one put under the instagram caption of the starbucks cup... cutesy but not really poetical.

I really liked this collection but I can't say I loved it, it just wasn't the right one for me.

Would I recommend it, tho? Of course, for poetry tells a different story to each who reads it, and this might be the book for you.

A mixture of short and long, every poem reveals an intimate detail about the author. With every page, readers are taken through Robinson's personal Inferno as she attempts to undergo catharsis to help not just herself but others like her. From "Women Like Me", "Self Love", "Melanin" to "Dear Future Lover", Robinson discusses self healing and her own personal identity in relation to her ethnicity and gender. Also, she gives advice to male readers on how to be better mates to 'Women Like Her". I highly recommend this book of poetry to anyone, and will actually be adding a physical copy of it to my bookshelf.

*Trigger Warning: Sexual abuse and other issues are used throughout the book*

If you have ever faced the feeling of being used, broken as result of abuse of any kind or just want to read a truly honest, raw and emotion jerking poetry book, this is the one for you.

Robinson touches upon troubling times of multiple kinds giving them beautiful twists to end the tragic tale being spun throughout each poem, love and hate of self and others is heavily used creating imagery in our minds of events and understandings of our own created.

I can relate and really recommend if you can too.

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

It's a collection of poertry divided into four section. It has some beautiful free style poetry which is thoughtful.
The theme of the poetry stands out with every section but I found a few ideas pretty repetitive but new.
I have recieved some lovable poems from this collection to treasure forever.
I recommend it to all the poetry lovers who have keen interest in reading poetry of such kind.

I absolutely loved this collection of poems. They were real, honest, and at times, brutal. I ended up screen shotting many of them to reread and save, since I loved them so much. K.Y. Robinson really wrote her heart out in these poems, which is very brave and empowering. I would encourage every young woman to read these.

This book was a very powerful read and also very empowering. Writing the book in poetry form is an amazing idea and interesting way to get the storyline across to its readers.
the storyline is a hard topic to handle, but it is one that needs to be discussed and written about. The author is only empowering other people to speak the truth and not allow the past to dictate the rest of their lives. The author is brave for sharing her story with the readers and allowing us to experience the pain and suffering that she had to overcome to become the woman is now.
Empowering young women and men with this book will help society to learn and help combat this from continuing to happen now and in the future. I would love to read more from this author and just learn from her experience and have people realize that if it happens that it is not their faults and that they should never blame themselves.

3.5/5 stars - ARC provided by NetGalley

This was a very well written poetry collection. I really enjoyed the four different parts, I could really sense the different tone with each poem I read. Overall, some of the poems felt lacking and a few felt simply repeated. With that being said, there were 5 poems I really enjoyed: Metamorphic, Path, Tone Deaf, Repeat After Me, When You're Feeling Low

I appreciate the poems on self love and learning to love yourself first.

**There is a trigger warning in this book for sexual trauma, suicidal thoughts, racism and sexism.**

The Chaos of Longing

by K.Y. Robinson

Andrews McMeel Publishing

Poetry

Pub Date 26 Sep 2017

I am reviewing a copy of The Chaos of Longing through Andrews McMeel Publishing and Netgalley:

This is perhaps even more difficult to review than the earlier collections of poetry I have reviewed as these poems deal with such tough issues as mental illness, abuse, survival, trauma, shame, justice.

The poems in this book, have a way of cutting to the very core of the issues they talk about.

Due to the subject matters herein I recommend this book for high-School age and older.

I give The Chaos of Longing five out of five stars.

Happy Reading.

This beautiful collection takes the reader on a journey through trauma, love, loss, and recovery. I love Robinson's style and the emotion she evokes. Her poems feel deeply personal, but also very relatable. I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

Thank you so much to Andrew McMeel publishing via netgalley for sending me an ARc copy of the chaos of longing by k.y. Robinson. The chaos of longing Will be released on September 26, 2017

She delt with strong and emotional topics that made me think and reflect on my own life.

I always enjoy certain poems more than others but personally i really enjoyed the majority of the poems.
Her writing style was beautiful and descriptive and i highly recommend this collection.

I've never read English poetry before and I wanted to try something new. When I looked up the synopsis of The Chaos of Longing, I wasn't sure what I was expecting. It sounded interesting, so that's the main reason was I requested this book on Netgalley.

The Chaos of Longing has poems about love, trauma, heartbreak and it's also divided in 4 sections. Each section has its own theme. The Chaos of Longing is so raw and honest. It's also something new for me. There were times that I was thinking and kept thinking about a certain poem, because I didn't really know what the meaning of it was. Like I mentioned before, poetry is new to me, so I don't always know how to read it and see the meaning behind it. Some poems were really obvious and others were a mystery.

I love The Chaos of Longing and I want to read more of K.Y. Robinson's work!

Poetry is so subjective that I always find it hard to review. Personally, I love this style of poetry – the stream-of-consciousness, open, raw, and vivid way that K.Y. Robinson and similar poets write just gets me, I feel it deep down and it never fails to move me. I find it so remarkable how people can use words to create images and feelings in this way, and although I know some readers find it overly simplistic, I personally find it magical.

one moment life
is more pigmented
than technicolor.
glitter flows
through my veins
and the stars
in my eyes dilate
and burst
into delusions.

K.Y. Robinson explores desire in all its forms and the need and want that we as humans have: to feel fulfilled emotionally, physically, and spiritually. A want that doesn’t always disappear if we are struggling with mental illness, if we’ve been abused or suffered trauma, if we’ve been told that we are too much, too loud, take up too much space. It’s personal and powerful and I adore the dedication – ‘to those who lie awake burning.’

when you look at me,
stars cluster in your eyes
but i often wonder if
my black holes
will swallow them whole
because deep down
i’m a connosieur
of sabotage.

If you’ve read and loved collections by writers like Amanda Lovelace, Rupi Kaur, or Lang Leav, you’ll probably love this too. It has the same power, the same rawness and pain, the same relatability that so many of us feel.

there is a universe
swirling inside you.

you have to learn to be
your own earth,
wind, fire
and water.

you are a natural
phenomenon-
not a natural disaster.

Poetry has always held a piece of my heart. So, when given the opportunity to read a poet's work, especially one new to me, I try to approach it with an open mind. Robinson's poetry is a cocktail of longing - of injustice, mental illness, desire, trauma, and need. Her poetry, while not the most grammatically correct, is painfully honest and reveals the fragile but resilient qualities of a human being. There were times, I admit, when her descriptions felt odd and out of place (especially the more sexually infused ones) but at the same time, it's her perception that makes this poetry unique. Because I could relate to some of her poems and I felt her writing style was beautiful, I was able to overlook the awkwardness of wording (and the Pepto Bismol cover).
Overall, a decent collection of poetry!

I am not the biggest fan of poetry. The poems have to be something special for me to considering putting the effort towards getting the book either buying it or finding it at the library. There are very few poets I would put that effort towards. The only effort I had to put forward was downloading this book, but from what I read I will gladly put effort into this author. I will look for her books. I will push people to read it. I will become a cheerleader for her success. She has won me over. 

The poems ranged from identity to self-love. The poems are so deep and necessary. This is the type of poetry that I needed in high school and college when I started doing activist work. This is the type of poetry I needed when I moved across the country for a fresh start. This is the type of poetry I need now as I am trying to navigate the world. This book applies to so many people and experiences. There were poems that discussed being black that I could not relate to on a perfect match, but the feelings she had towards her skin brought up the feelings I have towards mine for being trans. The wording was so perfect and I couldn't help but be impressed that she used "gentrified" in a poem that was about her own body.

There are many heavy topics covered. There is a lot of sexual themes, which I saw a bad review complaining about. I loved how frank the author was and how beautifully graphic she was. These were poems about having sex, these were poems about connections. These were poems about how bodies and love don't always match. These are poems about only feeling loved when someone is there with you. These are poems about feeling like no one will love you unless you have sex with them. They aren't about sex, they are about the complicated feelings that sex brings.

I’m just starting to appreciate the beauty that is poetry so I don’t have a lot to go on when reading books of poetry. I want to first say I thought the trigger warning right in the beginning for suicidal ideation, descriptions of sexual trauma, racism, and sexism was definitely a must for this book. I think all books with such triggering content should have warnings in the beginning just like this.The way it was broken up into 4 sections, inception, longing, chaos, and epiphany added so much to the story in my opinion.

I have always enjoyed the prose Ellen Hopkins writes in, which made me want to pick up poetry books in the first place, and this book did not disappoint. I was written so beautifully, and everything flowed seamlessly. I had no trouble keeping up with the story, and it was intoxicating. I read the who book in one sitting.

Overall I feel like if these triggers will not bother you, you should definitely read this book. Even if you are not the biggest fan of poetry, or like me are just getting into it, there is something in this book for everyone to appreciate.

I found this work to be bittersweet and quite relatable. I cried more than I wanted to but that's usually the case when it comes to good poetry. 10/10 would recommend

A young poet comes of age, and reaches a level of self-awareness and maturity in exploring themes of love, longing and at times the yearning of unrequited romance, in “the chaos of longing”. This is an intense beautifully written volume of poetry by K.Y. Robinson. Ms. Robinson holds a B.A. in journalism and a M.A. in history from Texas Southern University and is based in Houston, Texas.

In her introductory poem: “1.7.93”- Ms. Robinson describes a “cocoa brown” hunchback teen, who “swallowed poetry” in those days, without considering heaven or hell. A tragic event happened to her around this time, which she detailed in this poem. This event undoubtedly colored and affected her life in unexpected ways. This was the only concrete biographical poem in the book-- in addition to “deferred” where her mother and father’s attitudes were mentioned, her father turning to drink, also “faada” and “mother’s nature” were briefly added. The theme of mental illness which influenced Ms. Robinson’s life are explored in: “magic” - “faithless” – “manic depression” - “stigma and shame”.
The next part is “longing”: the titles of the poems are quite revelatory and erotic. Opening with the poem “melanin” love at first sight and the dreams that follow, easing into “naked thoughts” of desire to be a one and only. The explanatory nature of “fellatio” – “electric bodies” – “beautiful stranger” – the poem “uncensored” unfolds on the page: “thrust in your eyes/against my pages/repent with me/ in unison/until you surrender/to loves doctrine”. The writer emerges with “the grace of a pen” and the splendor of (unrecognized) words in “muse”-- also the composition of love in “poetry” and “poetry ii”.

The poems are more reflective with the thrill and satisfaction of a romantic connection. There remains the slight of uncertainty regarding the progression of a serious commitment-- in “smitten” – “path” – “entrails” –“the good guy” – “one wish” – “tone deaf” – “nocturnal melody”. With “chaos” the poems related to unavailable men, “resentment” – “shameless” – “when you met Laura” – “tunnel vision” - “in another life” – in “alchemy” it become known that only the dark side of his leaded heart was felt, as it was with someone else. With the final theme of “epiphany” there was a simple poetic wisdom in learning from mistakes, with the journey of “self -love ii” also “the galaxy is yours” that celebrated the wonder of life.
* With thanks and appreciation to Andrews McMeel Publishing via NetGalley for the direct e-copy for the purpose of review.

The feeling that the author poured into this poetry is crystal clear. It is full of love, heartache, sadness, forgiveness, longing, anger, and a plethora of other emotions. It really spoke to me and I am sure there are many others out there who these words will resonate with. Powerful!

Honestly, this book is pretty wonderful. Once I read the very first page I could see so many good things about this book. Yet, unfortunately I couldn't get into the book that much, I don't really know what's wrong though. I just don't get the story so much.

At last, if you're into a poetry book of if you're one of those Rapi Kaur's fan, you might as well need to check this one asap. :)

Recently I have been reading a lot of poetry books. Although these books are relatively shorter than fiction books, they usually take a longer time to read. When someone puts their thoughts into a poem, it takes time to decipher the meaning behind.

The Cover
It is very simple, with a few floral outlines and a light pink background. So aesthetic! I fell in love with it immediately.

The Book
This is a beautiful poetry book. The poems in it are mostly about love, and they are full of emotion. My heart was deeply touched.

I’d like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book through NetGalley.

I love this poetry collection! Honestly, it was so raw and captivating. I bookmarked literally half the book. It brings up important issues such as toxic relationships and I enjoyed the fact that the writer showed that you can move past those experiences and learn to love yourself again. The poems felt very personal and I can't say there was anything that bothered me. It goes from trauma to love and from heartbreak to achieving self-love. Also, it is important to note that the writer was thoughtful enough to put a trigger warning just before the beginning of her journey, because it really starts of strong and it may not be suitable for everyone, since some poems are very detailed and knowingly raw to the point that the writer's feelings stay with you. I loved it, hence, the 5 stars!

This book of poetry left me without words. It was incredible, looking back now, the way the author succeeds in conveying such strong feelings with so few words and sentences. I guess this must be the power and the beauty of poetry, but I'm not an expert.

Questo libro di poesie mi ha lasciato completamente senza parole. Ripensandoci é quasi incredibile come l'autrice riesca in poche parole e frasi a veicolare sentimenti cosí intensi. Immagino sia questo il potere della poesia, ma io non sono un'esperta.

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

I have always had a soft spot for poetry, especially one that is done in such a careful and personal way that upon reading it, it feels like you’re not stepping into a person’s shows but they entire soul. This book felt a lot like that.
The first couple of poems work wonderfully to set the tone of the rest of the book, which is divided into four parts: <i>Inception, Longing, Chaos and Epiphany.</i> Each of these parts has something in its core that not only ties it to the rest of the poems but allow them to stand on their own against time and scrutiny.
One particular part of a “you will get used to me” stuck with me throughout my entire reading: “your eyes and heart /must adjust to me./ darkness lives here.” And it guided me through all the pain and ache that sometimes dripped from carefully crafted stanzas.
I felt pain with this, I felt longing and hope, and I stepped into a room that was full of thoughts and ideas that, though they did not belong to me, seemed to be inviting me to know them.
I loved the honesty of it. I devoured every line because it felt like this book demanded to be heard, to be known, maybe not understood, but acknowledged, and I felt like I owed it at least that much.
Stylistically, I enjoyed the uncluttered pages and the lack of capitalization since it seemed to enhance the message of it all.
I also appreciated the fact that it had a trigger warning at the beginning, which allowed me to prepare myself for the kind of topics that would be treated.
Overall, I would a hundred percent recommend this book to those who enjoy poetry books that are a journey of discovery.

This book is a thing of beauty. Something that aches and begs you to realize that as a woman you are powerful, beautiful, and something greater then yourself. This book is about the sorrows of our longing and how we diminish ourselves for the sake of what we long for.

Simple, lyrical, and impactful my favorite parts of this book were the epiphanies. Where you realize that you should keep your insides for your own sake and not worry about what anyone else on this earth thinks. The parts where the Fire of this story builds and you realize you must set fire to the toxicity that is the expectations of other around you and to invent yourself and be who you have always dreamed to be.

A feminist poetry book for this generation, The Chaos of Longing will inspire many to be brighter then their brightest selves.

A very personal and beautiful poetry collection about love and sexuality that deals with racism, sexism, abuse, and mental illness. I really appreciate that it includes trigger warnings.

A very powerful set of poems highlighting life experiences and the emotions they evoked. Beautiful, haunting and engaging, A Chaos of Longing will definitely pull you in with each word and story being told. A nonreader of poetry will even be able to get what the author is trying to tell without getting confused. Definitely worth reading.

"These are artifacts from our past lives. Handle them with care."

The Chaos of Longing by K.Y. Robinson is a raw collection of poems about love, heartbreak and trauma. Divided into four sections, Robinson's collection tells a loose story of the beginnings, middles and ends of relationships as well as her childhood. While it was originally self-published, The Chaos of Longing was republished by Andrews McMeel Publishing in September 2017.

I adore confessional poetry. I want to feel like I know a poet by reading their work. After inhaling The Chaos of Longing, Robinson feels like a dear friend. The way she describe her struggles and experiences transports me to the moment she is sharing. I was completely wrapped up in her world and wanted everything to work out for her.

Honestly, the worst thing about getting poetry ARCs is the time limit. I wanted to savor this collection. I wanted to read one poem each day until I was finished and I couldn't. I feel like this will be even more enjoyable the more times I read it. I will defiantly purchase a finished copy in the near future.

I received this book from Andrews McMeel Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't connect with every poem but the ones that I did connect with were so amazing! This book hit me in the feels, hard. I highlighted so many poems that I just want to hold onto forever! I need a physical copy for my modern poetry collection. This book was amazing and heart-felt, and gut-wrenching at times. A few poems jerked my tears and I enjoyed every second of reading this.