PHOENIX IN ME BY SONAL SRIVASTAVA

In life’s darkest moments, hope often feels distant—but it is never lost. This heartfelt collection of poetry is a tribute to resilience, healing, and self-discovery. Through evocative verses, the book captures the journey of overcoming hardships, embracing change, and stepping into the light. Written by a first-time author, an IT professional from Mumbai, this book is a labor of love born from her passion for writing. Each poem serves as a reminder that even the heaviest storms pass, and within every soul lies the strength to rise again. A beacon of hope for those seeking solace and renewal.

We all understand that life includes both highs and lows. However, during our most challenging times, when engulfed by a tempest, we often overlook the fact that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, and the bad times too will eventually pass. This is where Sonal Srivastava's collection comes into play, as her work is a testament to resilience and a tribute to those who always choose to believe in themselves to overcome their struggles.

The phoenix is a mythical bird that burns and rises from its own ashes. All 21 poems of this collection depict the journey of a broken soul to a liberated spirit in unique ways. And like real life, this journey is not a bed of roses, as healing is not some miraculous tape that can fix all pain but a slow yet hopeful journey that helps people transform their struggles into strength. Sonal's writing style is quite accessible with short stanzas and repetitive imagery of fire, ash and scars. These motifs are cleverly used to tie into the central theme of rebirth. Below is a review of four of my favorite poems from the book, that offer an overview of the central themes in the collection.

EMBERS OF YESTERDAY: The book starts strong with this unapologetically honest poem that aims to capture the essence of pain and loss of hope through poetry. While this collection is all about collecting glimmers of hope, this poem aims to highlight the visceral pain of the speaker through the dark imagery of fire, ash, shadow, storm, maze and tears.

SILVER LINING: If I'm being completely honest, then Silver Lining is my favourite poem from this book! It marks the beginning of a hopeful journey as the speaker embarks on a journey of resilience. That's when she realised that the pain of her past can no longer shackle her as sorrow has loosened the grip, allowing some light to seep through the cracks of pain.

FEATHERS OF LIBERATION: If the book starts with pain, then it ends with one of the most uplifting poems.

At this point in the book, the speaker has not only endured pain but has also taken back control. The imagery of wings, skies, and soaring sharply contrasts with earlier themes of sorrow and despair, highlighting the difference between past and present. It is a proclamation of emotional emancipation and spiritual liberation.

REVIVED PEACE-:The final poem of this collection is a beautiful culmination of the speaker's transformative emotional journey. No longer held back by fear's embrace, the speaker celebrates the freedom of his soul. Unlike rest of the poems that tend to focus more on the painful storm, this poem highlights peace, strength and clarity. The sense of hope is particularly beautiful in this poem as it exists without any glorification. The speaker acknowledges the pain and struggles experienced in the past, but now he does not let his past hold him back by letting pain become his guide.

Emotionally raw and hopeful, I'll give this book a 4.5/5