'Meant Fore More Than This' by Rha Arayal' [BOOK REVIEW]

 'Meant For More Than This', by Rha Arayal [BOOK REVIEW]

Thank you to the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

'Meant For More Than This' is the new collection of poetry by Rha Arayal. It comes out on the 25th May. The author explores a myriad of topics and delves into them in depth: identity, self-love and life itself. I'd like to highlight it also exposes a bit and represents what life is for women, the sharp edges that haunts us for just being women. I love that the author talks about these topics and give it exposure. It also explores the experience of living between two different cultures, and its marvels - and how love and care is an universal language.

I found these poems effervescently and beautifully well written. 

This poetry is woven and captured with detailed imagery - it pictures vivid descriptions of a wide variety of scenarios that encompass the author's life. 

It is a portrayal of the search for your own identity. What is a person but a blend of experiences and cultural background, among many other things?

"i think that my mind might be a library

ablaze

a vanishing wooden bookshelf

consumed by tangerine hunger

my pupils are as wide as the windows

that stare out at the sea

grimy and grey and sullen"

I have quite a few favourite poems, "library, ablaze" being on the top of my list. I just find it so beautifully captured and written, along with "survival" and "translation".

"i think that my mind might be

echoing the emotions that i cradled

at thirteen years old

tending to playground scars

and sobbing into coral handkerchiefs

the ringing of my screams

and strength of my sorrow

never quite left my lungs"

I can't even describe how much I love this part of "library, ablaze" as well. This is my favourite part of the whole book - perhaps because of its emotional charge linked to some words and feelings pictured. 

Overall, I enjoyed this book, especially the second part of it!