Member Reviews
I think this is a valuable addition to a spiritual collection. It was a rather intriguing read. The reason this caught my eye was the cover and the title. Overall, it was a fascinating read.
A number of personal essays and other experiences to try to help and with the prompts get reader to think and write own poetry.
Thank you NetGalley for this arc!
This is a really cool book about poetry. I liked it a lot!
One thing I loved about the book is how it made poetry feel like magic. The words are so beautiful and powerful - like spells that can transport you. It's amazing how the authors use language to create such vivid images and emotions. Another thing I liked is how the book is easy to understand. Even if you're not a poetry expert, you can still enjoy and appreciate the poems in this book. They're written in a way that anyone can connect with and enjoy.
The diversity of voices in this collection is its strength. Through the words and wisdom of these diverse contributors, the reader is treated to a broad spectrum of spiritual understandings, making the reading experience both enlightening and expansive.
While this collection has universal appeal, I believe that it will resonate deeply with people who possess a basic understanding of modern spirituality. In fact, most of the negative reviews I've seen are mostly from people who don't engage with spiritual concept on a daily basis.
This collection not only celebrates the spiritual journey of every individual but also emphasizes the magic that occurs when these individual journeys intertwine. It's a beautiful reflection of what can be accomplished when we come together as a community.
I loved this collection of essays, poems and prompts. Though not something I typically lean towards, it was a great read. I really enjoyed the wide range of themes within the book.
"Poetry as Spellcasting" by Tamiko Beyer, Destiny Hemphill, and Lisbeth White is a captivating exploration of the intersection between poetry and magic. Through their collective voices, the authors illuminate the transformative power of words and the enchantment woven by poetic expression. The book's evocative verses and thought-provoking insights create a space for readers to connect with the mystical and the creative. Beyer, Hemphill, and White skillfully convey the idea that poetry has the potential to cast spells, invoking emotions and resonating with readers on a profound level. "Poetry as Spellcasting" is a unique and inspiring read that invites readers to embrace the enchanting art of poetry and discover the magic that lies within language and imagination.
Poetry As Spellcasting is an incredible must read for anyone who practices witchcraft. Each essay in the book is a true work of art, making you think and feel deeply. The prompts at the end of the essays were fantastic as well. I did a few of them and loved them so much I will be working them into my daily practices. 5/5 stars
Poetry as Spellcasting is a collection of poems, essays and prompts written by multiple authors and writers. These poems and essays focus on the general themes of identity, belonging, healing, liberation and power.
This collection is separated into six sections: Portals of Inheritance: Ancestral Teachings, Possible Futures, Languages of Liberation, Disruption, and Magic, Invoking Radical Imagination, Sacred Practices: Rituals of Repair, Lighting Fires, Breaking Chains and Elemental Ecologies, Spiritual Technologies.
My favourite section was Portals of Inheritance. I coincidentally read some works by Audre Lorde recently so, I was especially intrigued by the essay about Lorde included in this section.
I think this is a very intriguing collection. I thought the writing was beautiful (across all writers!) and I even noted down a few of my favourite quotes to include in my blog review.
As a POC woman, I loved the diversity and range of voices that were included. I felt like I was able to connect to a lot of the themes in this collection.
I liked the prompts as well; I'm not a spiritual person at all so I was indifferent to the more ritualistic prompts but I see the fun and the appeal in them.
I will absolutely be recommending this.
What a great book of essays, poetry and prompts. Such a magical idea and really well done. Would recommend.
Poems as spells is a subject I spend a lot of (too much?!) time thinking and talking about, so I was looking forward to this. It has some excellent prompts and essays, but I'm not sure how well it translated as an ebook (I think a physical copy would likely be more accessible!)
Poetry as Spellcasting; Poems, Essays, and Prompts for Manifesting Liberation and Reclaiming Power by Tamiko Beyer; Destiny Hemphill; Lisbeth White was absolute MAGIC! This is a book I have been waiting for. I am so thankful and proud to have this on my bookshelf!!
[Something went wrong and I am unable to review this book. The wrong review posted to this title, and then the site would not allow me to open the title. My apologies!]
This book is poetry in motion, and I’m spellbound by the way it handles language and art and combines them to create something magical! I’m always a sucker for a good anthology or essay collection, but when you add in poetry and a healthy dose of mysticism and Craft, I’m all in. I will be recommending this one to all my witchy and writerly friends alike, because it doesn’t matter what your spiritual background is, this is one resource that will never be a miss!
*Acquired an ARC through Net Galley*
As a fellow poet, I was widely intrigued by the premise of the book. it is fascinating to find the correlations between mediums of self-expression and pure magic and energy. Practising poetry as an ancient witch would, is an interesting premise and I was delighted with every page.
Poetry as Spellcasting reads beautifully and at times made me feel hopeful, joyous and all in all more curious to explore my own ways I could connect with deeper meaning through poetry.
The core criticism would be not the content but the formatting as I only had access to the digital copy I am not sure how it will look in the final version but the digital copy needs fixing as the formatting and the imagery do not translate well with the epub versions.
Pesantino come libro eh, mi aspettavo una cosa aesthetic pieno di incantesimi strani, invece è un manifesto di attivismo per dar voce alle minoranze. Davvero molto bello però
"Poetry as Spellcasting" explores the idea that poetry has the power to cast spells, to create change and to transform the world around us. Which I agree with and use in my practice. Overall, I found "Poetry as Spellcasting" to be a thought-provoking and engaging read. While I was hoping for more poetry that I could personally use in my devotionals and spellwork, I enjoyed the variety and especially the action items included in each section. In conclusion, I’d recommend "Poetry as Spellcasting" to anyone interested in the power of language and its ability to shape our reality.
Poetry as Spellcasting is a wonderful book that allows readers, writers, and witches alike to find strength and freedom through writing and reading poetry and spells. It is more than just a book of poems; this book also contains essays and writing prompts that encourage us to look at poetry as a form of spell-work, as well as wisdom into the arcane and occult arts, ancestral teachings, and more.
Focusing on engagement with the text, this book is a fantastic tool for witches and writers of all paths. There are so many lovely pieces of advice for writing your own poetic spells, and I can see myself using this book as a reference for years to come.
I loved this book and am so excited to add it to my collection!
So I was expecting more of poetry or how to do spellcasting in poetry form. It really felt just like a book. It had some interesting information about setting your circle. There was some prompts that were helpful but not a very engaging read.
Poetry as Spell casting is a wonderful anthology of essay work and poetry to inspire the witchy reader.
What I liked
1. Prompts within the text allow for a good deal of interactive experience for readers.
2. There is a fairly even balance of poetry and
What didn't work for me as well
1. By the nature of its layout this book is not ideal for a single sitting read through dsipite its small size.
Who I would recommend this book for
This collection is a wonderful creative inspiration both for practicing witches and for lovers of witch inspired literature.
As someone who knew very little about witch practises before reading Poetry as Spellcasting and admittedly, what I did know was a white-washed interpretation of significant history and a culture that has long been stereotyped or commodified. Beyer, Hemphill, and White explore the deep spirituality and mindfulness of magic that I think has long been disconnected from people's idea of "witchcraft". Their contributors dive into forgotten histories, social issues, violence against the Black, queer body, and poetry as a manifestation of intentions and feelings. This was really refreshing to read - I can't say I have much to contribute as a reader with an 'outside' perspective, but the practise chapters on mindfulness and rituals were informative and inspiring. there are some thought-provoking moments in many of the essays, especially ones that look at intertextuality and human connection.