Cheerio's Book Reviews With Ross Leischman & Matthew Bowers (Raven BLACK)

Hi All

This is the 3rd installment of Cheerio's Book Reviews. Cheerio and I read a book - then we let you know our thoughts about it.

The books briefly reviewed today are Ross Leishman's "Lost Thinker: Unchained Melodies of Melancholy Harmonies" and Matthew Bowers' (Raven BLACK's) "Butterflies & Ghosts". ______________

I first ran across Ross Leishman's writing about a year ago - and I've followed his writing since. I find Ross' verse often highly relatable - and find his viewpoints (within his poetry) fascinating and uniquely expressed.

Here is a poem from "Lost Thinker:

Importance

To know one’s place in society, to feel like you’re not in a minority to have to answer to a higher authority, Importance.

To really know that you are loved, to really have faith in something above, to know that one mellopuff is never enough, Importance.

The importance of feeling important,, the necessity of our own complexity, the reality of our unbalanced Morality, Importance.

Searching for our role in the universe, knowing you never made anyone’s life worse, You are a blessing, never a Curse, The importance of feeling important. You are important

Cheerio & I give Ross Leishman's "Lost Thinker: Unchained melodies of Melancholy Harmonies" 5 stars (out of 5).

If you'd like a copy, you can find one here:

United States: https://www.amazon.com/Lost.../dp/1960038230/ref=sr_1_1...

United Kingdom: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost.../dp/1960038230/ref=sr_1_1... ______________

Matthew Bowers (Raven BLACK) and I have been friends and admirers of each other's work for about 3 years - I hadn't been an indie poet for long before we met. I read Bowers' first collection of poetry, "Something Witchy This Way Comes" and really enjoyed it - original poems that sparked beautiful memories of the years I dabbled in paganism.

Bowers' second collection, "Butterflies & Ghosts", maintains the gothic world of his first collection and embraces the darker sides of life (and death), while providing glimmers of hope throughout the text.

Here is a poem from "Butterflies & Ghosts:

Truth Among the Dead

The radio grows silent

The evening sky radiates

A quiet breeze from pink to red

My face is frozen

Without words

How can I tell you

How does it not offend

How am I not a child

Hurt from time

Time brass knuckled

Punches me square

In my face and

I spit tooth

Blood, strings of saliva

On the concrete floor

Do you know?

Do you know?

I would have done anything for you

Cheerio & I give Matthew Bowers' (Raven BLACK's) "Butterflies & Ghosts" 5 stars (out of 5).

If you'd like a copy, you can find one here:

United States: https://www.amazon.com/Butter.../dp/B0CCCQNTV7/ref=sr_1_1...

United Kingdom: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Butt.../dp/B0CCCQNTV7/ref=sr_1_1...

Image: Cheerio with Ross Leishman's "Lost Thinker: Unchained Melodies of Melancholy Harmonies" & Matthew Bowers' (Raven BLACK's) "Butterflies & Ghosts".