Poems for Recovery by Kyle Crosby

Poems for Recovery, Kyle Crosby. self-published, 2014. ebook, 19 pps.


Kyle Crosby writes poetry from the heart. His poems address things like bullying, isolation, abuse, shame, recovery, and therapy. I was happy to read that his wife is supportive. I wish him the very best. I encourage people to get the e-book of this young aspiring poet.

[The e-book was free when I got it].

poetry by Kennie Kayoz

Kennie Kayoz on Twitter: @kenniekayoz

Kennie Kayoz on Word Press: 
http://coyotespublishingofficial.wordpress.com/

     Haven't heard of Kennie Kayoz? He offers his work for free downloading at Barnes & Noble-- 31 books of varying lengths, most of them shorts-- and hey, I like what he is doing. He is the founder of Coyotes Publishing. Some of his poetry can be categorized as prose-poems and some of it is rap or would do well at a poetry slam. His stuff is honest and a bit raw, gritty and confrontational, sad and self-reflective. N.B. that Kennie Kayoz takes on bullying, childhood trauma, and suicidal ideation as well as common experiences like cold weather.

     Although Kennie Kayoz has been criticized because of his use of profanity and the shortness of his shorts [shorts are e-books that are short], that does not bother me. Anyone who has ever experienced xenophobia will relate to much of his work. My favorite shorts were Wrecking Ball and It's All Me. I did not include the Lost Treasures series of e-books in the mini-reviews that follow.

sapphoq reviews says: Some people talk about writing. Others do write. Kennie Kayoz keeps himself in the public eye via Twitter and various blogs. I hope that Kennie Kayoz [and his wife Crystal] keep on writing and putting it out there for the readers to read.



Unanswered Prayers, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2011. e-book, 8 pps. 
     Tough times on a birthday. 

I Walk Alone, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2011. e-book, 7 pps. 
     It's tough to truly walk alone and not to find anyplace where one is "a good enough fit." All of us are truly alone in our own skins. The fearful run from that knowledge. The courageous embrace it. Kennie Kayoz is one of the courageous ones.

Revenge on Paper, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2011. e-book, 42 pps.
     Fake Poet and Oh, We Didn't Know are two poems of worth in this one. His wife Crystal is also featured in this one. Both poets are full of promise.

Bear Traxxx, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2011. e-book, 11 pps. 
     I too have been a human sacrifice of bugs in the woods.

Depressional Thoughts, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2011. e-book, 38 pps. 
     It takes guts to speak openly about psych symptoms.

Black Heart, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2011. e-book, 16 pps. 
     Some terrific imagery in these poems.

Unknown SuperHero, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2011. e-book, 8 pps. 
     A different take on super heroes, based on the news.

Broken Heart, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2011. e-book, 27 pps. 
     In the Rain and F.A.B. are my favorites in this short.

Dark Daze Of Christmas, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2011. e-book, 20 pps. 
     Santa was always prejudiced against the poorer kids anyway. I too like Insane Clown Posse and I don't care what the F.B.I. thinks about the fans.

Failure, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2012.  e-book, 17 pps. 
     The world needs poets who are raw. People in general are afraid of thosee they don't understand.

iDull, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2012.  e-book, 7 pps. 
     Not dull, but the dog sounds like he is dull. Some dogs are like that.

Return to the Darkside, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2012.  e-book, 22 pps. 
     I think Insane Clown Posse should use some of these poems for lyrics.

Boredom Poetry, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2012.  e-book, 17 pps. 
     If was my favorite poem in this short.

iSad, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2012.  e-book, 16 pps. 
     These poems illustrate what clinical depression feels like.

Remyxz, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2012.  e-book, 24 pps. 
     Powerful and angry with a primitive beat. railing against those in authority who give lip service to the idea that bullying must be stopped but who take no action when a victim of bullying asks for their help.

End Of Poe-Hatery Era, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2012.  e-book, 637 pps. 
     A compilation of poetry which the author had published previously. Some poetry is repeated because it appeared more than once in his shorts.

Platinum Poet, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2013.  e-book, 9 pps. 
     A bit of a beat to these.

Blue Moon, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2013. e-book, 6 pps. 
     I like poetry about the moon and I like these, especially the first one.

The World Is Not Ready, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2013. e-book, 8 pps. 
     The news truly is worse than any made-up horror movie.

Poetry While Sick, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2013.  e-book, 18 pps. 
     This is how "sick" feels.

Anger & Depression, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2013.  e-book, 8 pps. 
     Poetry born of pain and very human.

D- [minus], Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2013. e-book, 7 pps. 
     A solid reminder that all of us deserve basic respect and that no one "deserves" to be bullied.

Therapy, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2013.  e-book, 6 pps.
     I also hated high school.

Wrecking Ball, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2013. e-book, 7 pps.
     Aspie-like [Asperger's Syndrome] in innocence and the confusion about rules that are not clear. Powerful stuff.

Boredom Poetry 2, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2014. e-book, 6 pps.
    Little details like hands not working well in the cold weather were most excellent.

Past Friends: Two-Faced, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2013. e-book, 7 pps.
     Poems to three ex-friends [one poem apiece] who treated the poet rather shabbily.

It's All Me, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2014.. e-book, 11 pps.
     Poetry with a balanced amount of angst which addresses the personality fragments found in some survivors of severe childhood trauma.

Internet Black Out, Kennie Kayoz. self-published: Coyotes Publishing, 2014. e-book, 7 pps.
     Gritty and honest prose-poems about how it sucks to be without the net for any period of time.

The Book of Lies by Mary Horlock

The Book of Lies, Mary Horlock. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2011. e-book, 332 pps. inc. explanatory notes and author interview.

     Cat Rozier lives on Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands. She has a bestie who is a bit of a bully. Cat feels forced to proclaim that a teacher put the make on her. Cat's dad is dead and she finds a history left by an uncle in his study. A young man that she fancies has had a horrific accident. He returns to Guernsey changed.

sapphoq reviews says: Mary Horlock combines historical fiction with a modern day murder tale flawlessly. The Book of Lies utilizes two voices in the telling of the tale-- Cat Rozier and a dead uncle who had lived during the Nazi occupation of the Channel Islands. The backdrop of life on a small island adds immensely to the story as it unfolds. Absolutely highly recommended.

Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti

Keep Holding On, Susane Colasanti.  New York: Viking (Penguin Group), 2012.  HC.  202 pps.


Keep Holding On is written from the viewpoint of Noelle, a junior in high school and the child of a single mother.  Noelle's mother reminded me of my own mother.  Like my mother, Noelle's mother was guilty of neglect, had a temper and unpredictable moods, had sudden bursts of rule-making and expectations that would be unreasonable ones for any teen to have to follow.  My mother always liked to claim poverty.  Noelle and her mother were actually poor.



There was one scene in a supermarket in which Noelle's mother was paying with Food Stamps.  The cashier immediately yelled for assistance from a manager with the words, "Food Stamps!"  There was a time several decades ago when cashiers at the local supermarket queried every customer, "Cash or food stamps?"  I had decided not to be ashamed of myself for needing food stamps on a temporary basis at that point in my life.  When it was my turn, I said, "I'm paying with Food Stamps."  Loudly.  Back then, a few people in line would inspect the shopping carts of people who used Food Stamps, frowning at any food choices that didn't meet their muster as worthy.  As if it were their business.  I learned to catch their eye and pointedly looked into their shopping carts while also frowning.  Turning things around like that was kind of fun.  And it saved me from accepting any real or perceived societal judgments.


Noelle was being bullied in school and outside of school.  She was tapped for the school litmag.  She said yes only to escape the tortures of the school cafeteria where her meager lunches consisted of lettuce or mayo and mustard sandwiches.  She sat alone in the cafeteria.  At the litmag office, Simon brought in food "for everyone."  Simon was a bit of an outcast himself because he was adjudged  "different" but he didn't care.  I couldn't help but like this fictional character, even more than many of the others in the book.


There was also Ali-- the classmate who killed herself, a best friend Sharai, boys into date rape who were busy acting like they weren't jerks, a school nurse, and a school social worker.


At the end of the book, Noelle got a cool popular guy, Sharae got Simon, and Noelle's mother reformed.  The reformation of Noelle's mother into caring single mom after one conversation with the school social worker was not convincing.


sapphoq reviews says: Besides the scripted conversations, this book suffered from delivering its' message of teen abstinence with a bit of a heavy hand.  Noelle's mother who had gotten pregnant young suffered from poverty and hopelessness.  Although at one time she had a live-in man who treated both her and Noelle well, her neglect started after his death when because they weren't married, his house and money went to a brother.  To me, this points to the necessity of a will for couples who aren't married (or aren't allowed legal recognition for their commitment i.e. same gendered couples) rather than to the message, "Living together is bad, m'kay."  



I am not against the message of teen abstinence.  I myself didn't need my parents or my school to tell me not to have sex.  I knew that if I had gotten pregnant, my dad would have "killed" me.  My father never said anything like that to me.  I just knew.  To be sure, I also knew all about birth  control.  Some of my classmates were using it.  What is a sham is the health educator in a public school not being allowed to talk about issues like contraceptives along with abstinence, homosexuality and bisexuality [yes, there are teens in high school who are fully aware that they themselves aren't straight], and AIDS to their teen health classes.  These topics came up back when I was in school because we were curious.  I'm pretty sure these topics still do.  


More horrifying is when speakers from AIDS organizations come in to the high school classroom and aren't allowed to mention rubbers. More so when an organization goes into Africa-- 80% of kids orphaned due to parents dieing from AIDS live in Africa-- and is mandated not to tell married adults that rubbers can prevent the transmission of AIDS, there is something seriously wrong.  


In an ideal world, sex happens between two adults in a committed relationship.  But this is far from an ideal world.  Kids and teens get raped.  Teens have sex. Teens get pregnant. AIDS is an epidemic which kills off some of our best and brightest and most creative people. 


Keep Holding On is a good book to let teens whose reading levels are sub-par know that bullying has an ending.  Keep Holding On, similar to Go Ask Alice in 1971, has a weakness via its' subtext.  Single motherhood, like divorce, happens.  Kids who grow up with one parent or  are "products" of divorce are not condemned to suffer from poverty, bullying, drugs, violence, parental neglect, or domestic abuse. 


Recommended with hesitation.


sapphoq reviews book and more