Sweetbriar: The Serenade of a Weathered Rose by Rowena Liwanag Suarez is a period of reflection. I say this because I recognize the practice of writing as a period in time, and the author has used this time to look introspectively in order to produce a wonderful solo poetry anthology. It gave me a glimpse into her thought process, as well as the emotional turmoil she had to face.
Being a self-aware person is the key to finding contentment and meaning, and the author has achieved that in herself. This self-awareness has brought forth realizations which gave way to the poems she has written in this book. What struck me was the raw honesty which she presented in her poems. I also get the impression that she has a problem solving approach to life, and this is evident in some of her poems. I can see that the author finds writing therapeutic, and that she lives a multi-faceted life.
Her poems inspire me to journal more. I am no poet, so journaling my thoughts will do. Writing with such raw honesty can give me better insights about my life and its present conditions. I know that writing can also be a form of letting go, such as anger and resentment. Like the author, I look forward to facing life with honesty and the power to write about one’s experiences without holding back. I also want to have more quiet moments to reflect and focus on the lessons I have learned so far.
The author has an extensive writing resume, and I look forward to reading more of her works in the future. I salute her for her debut poetry book, and I hope that this also inspires more people to read, reflect, and write.
Sweetbriar: The Serenade of a Weathered Rose by Rowena Liwanag Suarez is now available!