soft magic

A beautiful collection of poems on love, family, new adventures, fears, hopes, dreams-all written in a way that any reader can relate to.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.

This is a short but sweet collection which explores some interesting themes surrounding feminism, gender, self-love, relationships, and more.

"Love, the only kind that counts, is wholesome."

“I am dripping melanin and honey. I am black without apology.”

soft magic is, as it says on the tin, a poetry collection that explores the self, joy, blackness, gender, matters of the heart, the experience of Diaspora, spirituality, and how we survive. As her debut collection and my own introduction to her work, it's an absolutely wonderful book. The poetry is moving and evokes the feeling of soft magic in your very bones.

I can't wait to get my own physical copy, because not only is it a quality collection, it would look beautiful on my shelves.

The minimalist approach is poetry, while dismissed by some as "Tumblr" or "hit-enter" poetry, is becoming more popular, and I for one am delighted. Personally, I love that every word means more when there are so few of them to start; the precise employment of language to convey a simple but important truth. Chisala's messages about self-love for black women deserve to be heard by a wider audience, and I hope it is someday.

I personally haven't read Salt by Nayyirah Waheed, which a lot of people are comparing this to. In my uneducated, therefore, opinion, this was so well written. Highly relatable and heart-warming, Upile Chisala offers an unapologetic anthology of what it means to be a black woman in 'soft magic.'

What a beautiful book. I am a young, white, American male - in short, something that has hurt the world a great deal. It is good to read and know something from someone who is not me. 5 stars because it is exactly what it purports to be and more. Many quotes have been shared to my IG stories, @lukeskyfoos.

A valid reason to make an uproarious, fat noise. These simple poems were thought-provoking, self-affirming, and revelatory.

This was incredibly relatable to me as a woman, and as someone who struggles with her mental health. I think it'd be even more relatable to women of color. The poems are easy to understand, nice and short, very accessible to someone new to poetry. Highly recommend!

"be careful with how you choose to love people
don't destroy them
don't destroy yourself"

this entire collection hit me in the heart in ways i needed, especially now.
this year i want to practice softness more than ever before.
i want to love right, whether it's myself or others, in ways everyone can respect and understand, with no expectations or doubts, without taking away from myself by giving to someone else.
many of these poems made me want to cry, poc are so brave and beautiful.
more praise should be given, i hope people read this book and open their hearts to the realities around us and inside of others

I  received a free digital copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

This was a great journey. One of those poetry books you have to put down every other poem because some of them just speak to you. I would definitely reccomend this book to anyone.


"If you got out of bed today and chose to face the world, I'm proud of you.
If you're still struggling to, I'm rooting for you. "

A very simple, soft poetry for a modern girl. The poet expressed her views on being a coloured person and the strength that's required to be one. Even though the idea is repetitive throughout the book, the freshness is felt in every page. A good fast read for all modern poetry lovers.

"I want to think that God smiles
when a black woman is brave enough
to love herself."

I don't say this lightly when I say that soft magic. is my favorite collection of poetry I have read in years. It is powerful, and brave, and loving, and comforting, and flawless. I want to paper my walls with every page of this collection. There's nothing I can even say that Upile Chisala couldn't say a million times better, so instead of reviewing this, I'm just going to leave you with a few of my favorite poems and let them speak for themselves:

"Little boys with sunshine in their giggles are being
mistaken for men
Because their bodies were built like those
of warriors."

—

"If no one has called you brave lately, I will.
You are fighting sadness with everything you've
got and for that you are mighty."

—

"Beloved,
gather up all the hurt in your body
and tell it how you weren't meant for broken."

Absolutely stunning poetry. I was punched in the gut, taught a lesson, and made to feel powerful.
Deep. Raw. Real. Inspiring. Read soft magic!!

I received my copy of soft magic from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Chisala's work is a celebration for and of women/persons of color. It is very heartfelt and uplifting. It invites readers to look within and to love the skin they are born with.

"I am Flawed. Still, I am worthy. Still, I am mighty. Still, I deserve good"

Upile Chisala, with soft magic, brings us a collection of poems and prose so beautiful that you hardly notice anything but the feelings it brings to you.

"When you are offered thin love,
don't take it just because you have thick skin
and someone told you that woman must endure

Love, the only kind that counts, is wholesome."

From poems about and to dark skinned woman, about love - required and not, about and to woman. We feel along the lines that we shouldn't settle, we should be proud, we should love! Ourselves and others! That we need to fight, that it isn't easy to fight, but that it is something we need! Fight with ourselves, fight with the world, for the good of it, for the love.

"I write you poems because God spoke the universe into existence,
so don't ever let me hear you say that words are just words,
that words don't leave a mark,
make a change,
create where once was nothing"

I've been thinking a lot about poetry lately. What does it mean to write poetry? What does it mean to be a poet? What makes a poem? 

Many of my fellow English majors would argue that a poem is defined by form, structure, and meter; however, in recent years, there have been many exciting things happening in the world of poetry. The world is starting to listen to the voices of poets from diverse backgrounds. Space is being made in the poetry world for women, people of color, and people from other groups that have been historically marginalized.

In many ways, I am a classicist. But I am also a rebel. I love this new movement in poetry and I loved this collection by Upile Chasala. I was fascinated by what she could do with only a handful of words. I have a soft spot for poetry that empowers women, especially women of color, so I realize that I might be biased, but for me, Chisala's words were incredibly uplifting and empowering.

I'm not sure exactly what makes a poem. Is it rhyme? Is it meter?  -Or is it passion?

Chisala's work is tightly knit and most certainly has structure (many argue that the key thing that separates poetry from prose is that poetry has structure). It is clear that Chisala has carefully considered every single well placed word. Her writing slices directly to the heart and taps into a history of oppression that has been silenced for too long.

I have a colleague whose favorite quote is, "Well behaved women rarely make history." Chisala's writing causes us to confront the history of colonization and oppression which many of us take for granted. Nevertheless, instead of being angry when talking about these issues, Chisala's voice comes across as clear, powerful, and comforting.

This is a book that I plan on rereading in the future. I also plan to go out and purchase her other book, Nectar. I want to know more about what this fierce lady poet has to say to our world today.

I strongly recommend this book for fans of modern poetry, especially if you enjoy reading underrepresented voices.



*Note: I received a free digital copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. If you would like to see more reviews about diverse books like this one, please check out my blog at www.BeckieWrites.com

I’d never heard of this poet before. I really enjoyed Soft Magic. The poems don’t have titles. This is a small thing and maybe some people don’t mind but I prefer poems to have titles. It’s a ‘me’ thing and has no bearing on the enjoyment and quality of the poems. I read this collection very quickly as the poems are very short and brief, no more than half a dozen lines. I wouldn’t let their briefness full you as the words pack quite a punch at times. Universal themes are explored with an emotional touch that it heavier than it seems. Many of the poems explore blackness. These were deep and powerful but as a white woman I couldn’t relate as much as I could the other poems. Soft Magic is well worth a read.

This beautiful poetry collection is about self-love, power, depression, relationships, and understanding. It is geared toward women and perhaps teens or young adults of color. The words Chisala chooses are as beautiful as the ideas she aims to express. I recommend this book for poetry lovers. I suspect readers of color will find themselves seen and heard on these pages, and white readers can see the need for inclusive and “own voices” writing.

This is my favorite poetry I've read so far in 2019. My favorite part of these poems is the power that they tell and show us about. From women to skin color this book covers it all without putting anyone down. This is the first book I've read by Upile Chisala and I can't wait to read more because I enjoyed the way these words made me feel, made me think, you know that it's good writing when that happens. Like many poetry books I wrote down many lines and even a full poem here are there. One of my favorite lines is "I hope to do with words what dancers do with limbs." and I just love that line. There is something about that. how worlds and limbs are the same while turning them both into something to entertain people, just inspires me.

With that said, words have powers and Upile Chisala uses them in a positive light, that's a powerful thing.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an arc copy.
I gave this a 4 out of 5 stars.
I really enjoyed this I didn’t connect emotionally to the poems though and that’s why it didn’t get five stars. I love that this is about black women loving themselves, self love is important. I do recommend this, just because I didn’t connect with it doesn’t mean you won’t.

This is a beautiful collection of poetry. I really related to and was touched by these beautiful poems. Highly recommended.

Soft Magic captures diversity and racism from the perspective of the poet. Upile was born in Malawi, and is deeply rooted in her Africa heritage. As an African that now lives in America, Upile understands and experiences racism and racially motivated prejudices that accompany her being in the United States. Similarly, Upile's work focuses not just on her culture, but on her experience as a woman, and the emotions she experiences throughout her life.

Her poetry read melodically, and flowed nicely, giving a relaxation to the reader, while also challenging the reader to think about Upile's experiences. I enjoyed this book and think it's a great opportunity for those of diverse backgrounds to begin to understand Upile's experience.

A lovely collection of poem that talks about feminism, women, love and life. It is empowering and I truly enjoy it. This collection is a modern poetry collection in a style that is very popular now, but I'd say that Soft Magic is pretty stand out because of the way she wrote the poems :) I recommend for you to pick it up.

I don't read a lot of poetry, but I loved this collection. The poems are short and sweet, empowering and utterly quotable. If you are battling with depression, confidence, self-love, or even just bad love this book has a bit of advice in the shape of a short poem for you. You could probably even take it and turn it into a daily mantra to empower yourself. I'm going to read it again and savor it.

My favorite:

I write you poems because God spoke the universe
into existence,
so don't even let me hear you say that words are
just words,
that words don't leave a mark,
make a change,
create where once was nothing.

Soft Magic is filled with feelings and is a good book to read when one needs a self-reflection and empowerment. Although mainly written for black girls, I think it can be read for women everywhere, particularly WOC.

4/5

<i>(I received a digital ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)</i>

One of my Favorite poetry reads this year

Since Feb is the black history month, and I read it at a perfect time. The poems are all about Black people, love and courage

"Tell her there are goddesses in her bones
And tales of triumph in her skin.
And that blackness is not a sin."

This book is a magic. I love it ....

A poetry book with a nice pace and a consistent theme. The writing is smooth and simple yet thought-provoking all the same. It's a good read for when you want something lighter.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced ARC of this book.

Soft Magic is a very short read, but oh so powerful. It's about blackness, womanhood, mothers, daughters, relationships, surviving, and depression. Most of all, it's about healing. Each poem packs such a punch, even when it's just one line. I think this is because Upile Chisala is saying things that come from the heart (and experience), but have gone through much thought first. Much of what she said resonated very deeply with me. This is such a beautiful debut poetry collection, I'm blown away!

This book is a collection of poems and, because of that, it’s quite hard to review.

When it comes to poetry collections, the first thing a lot of people ask is “do the poems rhyme?”, which saddens me, poetry isn’t just that.

But the poems in this book do not rhyme, at least not in the usual way. Some rhyme in the middle of the verse, other rhyme in terms of theme, others in terms of images they evoke.

A lot of poems in this book also call forth big problems in our~society and they’re written in a beautiful way – so beautiful that you feel what the author felt.

And there are poems about many things. Poems about black power, about feminism, about abuse, about love. And I couldn’t find one I didn’t enjoy.

I loved this book, and I can’t wait to see what this author writes in the future.

Rating: 4 stars