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The Poetic Underground #1
Reverie
An anthology of poems by the poet Erin Hanson from November 2011 to January 2014. Containing poems on a variety of different topics and themes.
85 pages, Paperback
First published January 4, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews
September 30, 2017
3.5 Stars.
I first came across Erin Hanson's poetry on Pinterest. The very first poem I read by her was wonderful and so I decided to look her up and I came across a few more of her poems. Some of her poems are so wonderful, definitely amazing 5 star stuff but others are just kind of meh for me. A lot of the poems in this book were either a hit or a miss and there were more misses for me and so that's why I gave the book 3.5 stars.
These poems are very personal and I could definitely relate to a lot of them. I think a lot of people can relate to her poetry and that's probably why she's got a high rating on here. Another good thing about her poems are that most of them have such a beautiful rhythm. I know poetry doesn't have to follow any rules when it comes to rhythm but I LOVE poems that have a lovely flow. A lot of modern poetry that I read lacks any sort of enjoyable rhythm but these poems were very satisfying to read. She definitely has a way with words and she is definitely extremely talented so I would recommend this book and I will be reading book 2 and 3 eventually.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There were 10 poems that really stood out to me & those were:
Holes
Lifeboat
Demons
My Mind is an Overgrown Jungle
Reflection,
Sticks and Stones,
The Wading Pool,
Welcome to Society,
Okay,
Stars.
"I made my life an arrow,
The tip a deadly sharpened point,
So people never came so close,
That I may disappoint,
I'd sit and watch in silence,
As the world would pass me by,
Wondering how far I'd fall,
If I ever tried to fly,..."
"...That you'd spent your whole life waiting,
For your beauty to be shown,
But in wanting someone else's,
You had failed to see your own."
"...The brain within her skull,
Is so flooded it could drown,
In names of people who said they cared,
But didn't stick around,..."
"We all have holes right through our hearts,
I’m sure you’ve got them too,
But it’s funny how the hole in mine,
Is shaped a lot like you." (Holes).
"...That one day I'll look back on life,
At the opportunities that I missed,
And realise I never truly lived,
All I did was just exist."
"I promise I will save you,
When you cannot stay afloat,
And if your tears can fill an ocean,
Then for you I'll be a boat." (Lifeboat).
"There's a demon living in my head,
But she answers to my name,
She tells me stories late at night,
That are messing with my brain,..."
"...They find most joy in sorting,
My memories from years ago,
The ones I’d carefully stored away,
In a box of 'Things I wish I didn't know,..."
"...And the scars of her past,
Hidden under her clothes,
Are a roadmap to places,
That nobody knows,..."
"...We spend so long looking forward,
That we may as well be blind,
Since we don't see until the very end,
All the things we've left behind,..."
"...And would it shock you most to find,
That the things you thought defined you,
Could be summed up in just two lines,..."
"...For you'll never truly find yourself,
If you're too scared to get lost."
"She torments every thought I have,
Drowns my mind with words of terror,
But when I got to knock them from her mouth,
All my fist finds is the mirror." (Reflection)
"...So if you're made of empty spaces,
Don't ever think it's wrong,
Because maybe they're just empty,
Until the right person comes along."
"...The world around you passes by,
In blurs of colour and sound,
Nothing around you making sense,
As you continue your plummet down,
You can't remember how it started,
And you don't know when it will end,
But you know that you'd give anything,
To stand up on your feet again,
Sadness is that feeling,
When the falling doesn't stop,
And it saps your life of meaning,
And all the good things that you've got,
So when you finally hit rock bottom,
And you look back up at the sky,
What you once had seems so far away,
The only thing left to do is cry,..."
I first came across Erin Hanson's poetry on Pinterest. The very first poem I read by her was wonderful and so I decided to look her up and I came across a few more of her poems. Some of her poems are so wonderful, definitely amazing 5 star stuff but others are just kind of meh for me. A lot of the poems in this book were either a hit or a miss and there were more misses for me and so that's why I gave the book 3.5 stars.
These poems are very personal and I could definitely relate to a lot of them. I think a lot of people can relate to her poetry and that's probably why she's got a high rating on here. Another good thing about her poems are that most of them have such a beautiful rhythm. I know poetry doesn't have to follow any rules when it comes to rhythm but I LOVE poems that have a lovely flow. A lot of modern poetry that I read lacks any sort of enjoyable rhythm but these poems were very satisfying to read. She definitely has a way with words and she is definitely extremely talented so I would recommend this book and I will be reading book 2 and 3 eventually.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There were 10 poems that really stood out to me & those were:
Holes
Lifeboat
Demons
My Mind is an Overgrown Jungle
Reflection,
Sticks and Stones,
The Wading Pool,
Welcome to Society,
Okay,
Stars.
"I made my life an arrow,
The tip a deadly sharpened point,
So people never came so close,
That I may disappoint,
I'd sit and watch in silence,
As the world would pass me by,
Wondering how far I'd fall,
If I ever tried to fly,..."
"...That you'd spent your whole life waiting,
For your beauty to be shown,
But in wanting someone else's,
You had failed to see your own."
"...The brain within her skull,
Is so flooded it could drown,
In names of people who said they cared,
But didn't stick around,..."
"We all have holes right through our hearts,
I’m sure you’ve got them too,
But it’s funny how the hole in mine,
Is shaped a lot like you." (Holes).
"...That one day I'll look back on life,
At the opportunities that I missed,
And realise I never truly lived,
All I did was just exist."
"I promise I will save you,
When you cannot stay afloat,
And if your tears can fill an ocean,
Then for you I'll be a boat." (Lifeboat).
"There's a demon living in my head,
But she answers to my name,
She tells me stories late at night,
That are messing with my brain,..."
"...They find most joy in sorting,
My memories from years ago,
The ones I’d carefully stored away,
In a box of 'Things I wish I didn't know,..."
"...And the scars of her past,
Hidden under her clothes,
Are a roadmap to places,
That nobody knows,..."
"...We spend so long looking forward,
That we may as well be blind,
Since we don't see until the very end,
All the things we've left behind,..."
"...And would it shock you most to find,
That the things you thought defined you,
Could be summed up in just two lines,..."
"...For you'll never truly find yourself,
If you're too scared to get lost."
"She torments every thought I have,
Drowns my mind with words of terror,
But when I got to knock them from her mouth,
All my fist finds is the mirror." (Reflection)
"...So if you're made of empty spaces,
Don't ever think it's wrong,
Because maybe they're just empty,
Until the right person comes along."
"...The world around you passes by,
In blurs of colour and sound,
Nothing around you making sense,
As you continue your plummet down,
You can't remember how it started,
And you don't know when it will end,
But you know that you'd give anything,
To stand up on your feet again,
Sadness is that feeling,
When the falling doesn't stop,
And it saps your life of meaning,
And all the good things that you've got,
So when you finally hit rock bottom,
And you look back up at the sky,
What you once had seems so far away,
The only thing left to do is cry,..."
June 28, 2017
5 STARS
I must have read these out of order because I read The Poetic Underground #2 first - but I loved that one and I adored this one. I think I might've liked this one a tidbit more, if I'm honest (both are still 5 stars though). But again, the way Erin writes is gorgeous. Her poems are simply lovely, and I can only say that I am thrilled to have come across one of her poems online - because without that one poem, I would've never found her!
Okay, but honestly, if you love poems please give her a shot. She's unlike any poet I've ever read and I'm sure you'll enjoy her poems as much as I did. Or maybe you won't (I highly doubt it) - It's still worth a try, trust me.
I must have read these out of order because I read The Poetic Underground #2 first - but I loved that one and I adored this one. I think I might've liked this one a tidbit more, if I'm honest (both are still 5 stars though). But again, the way Erin writes is gorgeous. Her poems are simply lovely, and I can only say that I am thrilled to have come across one of her poems online - because without that one poem, I would've never found her!
Okay, but honestly, if you love poems please give her a shot. She's unlike any poet I've ever read and I'm sure you'll enjoy her poems as much as I did. Or maybe you won't (I highly doubt it) - It's still worth a try, trust me.
September 16, 2014
I've never been much of a poetry fan until now. Erin's poems speak to me like no one else's have. She is an amazing young woman. I purchased her book in epub format and have purchased the hard copy. She understands the monsters and that there is nothing wrong with being yourself. Read her poetry and I guarantee you will find a piece of yourself in one of her poems.
September 30, 2014
Hi Erin,
I ordered your book last night. Your poetry is written with the wisdom of a soul much older than your 19 years. If I believed in such things, I would think you had been here before.
I can't wait to sit down over spring (hopefully by the sea) and continue reading your glorious poetry which is like a little beacon of light in the world.
I love the way you see life. Never stop being you.
-Katie :)
I ordered your book last night. Your poetry is written with the wisdom of a soul much older than your 19 years. If I believed in such things, I would think you had been here before.
I can't wait to sit down over spring (hopefully by the sea) and continue reading your glorious poetry which is like a little beacon of light in the world.
I love the way you see life. Never stop being you.
-Katie :)
January 1, 2017
This series ( the poetic underground) softens my heart <3
You can literally see through the poet's eyes in every book.
How dark the world was in her first book, and then she started finding bits and pieces of beauty , and oh my god how beautiful her soul turned out to be.
It gives me so much hope, seeing how a black hole can close and turn into a magical garden. Her 2nd and 3rd books give me spurts of happiness in between the stressful lifestyle im having currently, her beautiful writing is exactly what i need <3
You can literally see through the poet's eyes in every book.
How dark the world was in her first book, and then she started finding bits and pieces of beauty , and oh my god how beautiful her soul turned out to be.
It gives me so much hope, seeing how a black hole can close and turn into a magical garden. Her 2nd and 3rd books give me spurts of happiness in between the stressful lifestyle im having currently, her beautiful writing is exactly what i need <3
December 28, 2023
I just adore these poetry collections so much and I find them so relatable.
April 3, 2024
Initially, picked this specific book up because it was recommended by a person I admired from afar. It was at a convenient time that I saw that interview because that’s when I started to have some interest in learning poetry for a personal project. I was also curious as to what this person saw as deep and profound.
First thing, poetry is still not my vibe, but I’m definitely open to learn and grow in appreciation for it. Being able to express your thoughts/feelings clearly and creatively (with rhymes and all) is something I find impressive. However, there were moments where I felt cringed out because of its corny content. There were some where I thought it had a great punch line and could’ve been used as a pickup line (LOL). But overall, it was a bit much. If I had read this during my high school/early college days, I think I would have enjoyed it more.
Considering that the poet was young, I could also see why the person I admire viewed her writing as deep and profound. She’s introspective in regard to her surroundings and very reflective of her own thoughts.
Some of her poems were pretty dark and at times, I felt the pain. I personally did not enjoy reading them nor was I able to relate with how she dealt with it, but I could understand that those were her raw thoughts and feelings during specific moments in her life. I couldn’t help but to think of the gospel and how I wished for her to know it.
If I had to pick one poem that I liked, I would choose “Seven” because it triggered me to have different trail of thoughts:
If I met my seven year old self today,
What would I tell her,
What would I say?
Would I warn her of the future,
Of the bad things yet to come?
Or would I leave her be naive,
To keep having fun?
Because my seven year old self,
Believed the world a perfect place,
Would she recognise herself,
When she looked into my face?
Even though I’ve learnt so much more,
And ten years have passed since then,
I would give up everything I have,
To view life through her eyes again.
First thing, poetry is still not my vibe, but I’m definitely open to learn and grow in appreciation for it. Being able to express your thoughts/feelings clearly and creatively (with rhymes and all) is something I find impressive. However, there were moments where I felt cringed out because of its corny content. There were some where I thought it had a great punch line and could’ve been used as a pickup line (LOL). But overall, it was a bit much. If I had read this during my high school/early college days, I think I would have enjoyed it more.
Considering that the poet was young, I could also see why the person I admire viewed her writing as deep and profound. She’s introspective in regard to her surroundings and very reflective of her own thoughts.
Some of her poems were pretty dark and at times, I felt the pain. I personally did not enjoy reading them nor was I able to relate with how she dealt with it, but I could understand that those were her raw thoughts and feelings during specific moments in her life. I couldn’t help but to think of the gospel and how I wished for her to know it.
If I had to pick one poem that I liked, I would choose “Seven” because it triggered me to have different trail of thoughts:
If I met my seven year old self today,
What would I tell her,
What would I say?
Would I warn her of the future,
Of the bad things yet to come?
Or would I leave her be naive,
To keep having fun?
Because my seven year old self,
Believed the world a perfect place,
Would she recognise herself,
When she looked into my face?
Even though I’ve learnt so much more,
And ten years have passed since then,
I would give up everything I have,
To view life through her eyes again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2016
I will never not love Erin Hanson. These poems help me through the the hardest things in life. She wrote me a letter after my boyfriend contacted her and told her about what I was going through and I have never felt more blessed. Amazing books, amazing author.
June 12, 2016
Erin Hanson writes in a style that is both whimsical and soul-stirring. I'm not much into poetry, but I devour Hansons work. Several pieces were a little dark/morbid, but all of them are simple and raw and I related to much of it.. A very enjoyable and quick read that will stay with you.
May 1, 2023
4.5 Very relatable and easy reading. Erin has a skilled way of rhyming and each poem has a good balanced rhythm while reading.
Here are a few of my favorite lines:
"You might wonder why she does this,
Why write about people she once knew?
But she hopes one day she'll mean enough,
For someone to write about her too."
"The brain within her skull,
Is so flooded it could drown,
In names of people who said they cared,
But didn't stick around,"
"My mind is an overgrown jungle,
There's no entrance to let you inside,
In fear that you'll cut down my branches,
And find the feelings I've worked hard to hide,...
... Because the problem with overgrown jungles,
Is there's always more vines that will sprout,
And I know that it's hard to get in here,
But it's ten times as hard to get out."
"She'd learnt to keep a shallow mind,
So people didn't have to swim,
And it led them to think they knew ,
The thoughts she held within,"
"I house the wildest rivers,
And a host of sweeping plains,
I feel in waves of sunshine,
Or in unrelenting rains,"
Here are a few of my favorite lines:
"You might wonder why she does this,
Why write about people she once knew?
But she hopes one day she'll mean enough,
For someone to write about her too."
"The brain within her skull,
Is so flooded it could drown,
In names of people who said they cared,
But didn't stick around,"
"My mind is an overgrown jungle,
There's no entrance to let you inside,
In fear that you'll cut down my branches,
And find the feelings I've worked hard to hide,...
... Because the problem with overgrown jungles,
Is there's always more vines that will sprout,
And I know that it's hard to get in here,
But it's ten times as hard to get out."
"She'd learnt to keep a shallow mind,
So people didn't have to swim,
And it led them to think they knew ,
The thoughts she held within,"
"I house the wildest rivers,
And a host of sweeping plains,
I feel in waves of sunshine,
Or in unrelenting rains,"
July 3, 2021
Erin hanson is the most beautiful young poet I ever read. It's just with every poem it gives us the true essence. And in very poetic way she recites it through the end. Like the end is where we drown in her words. Truly impactful.
January 3, 2024
This is peak 2010s tumblr poetry, suddenly I’m in middle school again ahhh
June 9, 2023
i really thoroughly enjoyed this. i read a poem from this poet ages ago and it captured my heart immediately and ever since i’ve wanted to give her other poems a shot but simply hadn’t got around to doing so. every single poem in this collection flows beautifully, it’s so rhythmic and wonderful without being too flowery. i loved all of the poems and found myself tearing up at quite a few. they all carry a beautiful and important message and the entire collection just feels like being given a warm hug.
June 15, 2018
Lyrical, poignant and relatable, Erin Hanson's Reverie is an anthology of poems centered on love, loss, pain, dreams and strength born out of weakness.
Each poem in this first collection of the Poetic Underground is different, but the themes Hanson centers on allow each one to flow into the next. Some of the poems are short while others are long. Some use rhyme while others are written in free verse.
Many of the poems deal with issues young adults face: rejection, heartbreak, fear, failure. loneliness and even hopelessness and depression. Some of the poems brought tears to my own eyes because I could relate the many of the feelings Hanson so beautifully represents in her writing.
Each poem in this first collection of the Poetic Underground is different, but the themes Hanson centers on allow each one to flow into the next. Some of the poems are short while others are long. Some use rhyme while others are written in free verse.
Many of the poems deal with issues young adults face: rejection, heartbreak, fear, failure. loneliness and even hopelessness and depression. Some of the poems brought tears to my own eyes because I could relate the many of the feelings Hanson so beautifully represents in her writing.
February 13, 2015
This is a beautiful book! I don't usually take the time to sit down and read poetry, but the way she writes is so simple and powerful that I could not put it down. The stories are so relatable, even if you've never been through the things they talk about the feelings are clear to understand. I would definitely recommending this to anyone who will read it.
May 2, 2015
I'm crazy about this one.
November 11, 2015
I am not someone who typically reads poetry, but I am not sorry that I read this. So much beauty. So much truth. So much love for this book.
Want to read
July 20, 2016I love her poems and I always reblog and pin her poems whenever I see it on my dashboard:)
September 11, 2020
"she has a bookshelf for a heart,
and ink runs through her veins,
she'll write you into her story,
with the typewriter in her brain,
Her bookshelf's getting crowded,
with all the stories that she's penned,
of the people who flicked through her pages,
but closed the book before the end" - The storyteller
"I've spent years making it feel like home,
I can do anything that I want here,
To take my mind off the fact I'm alone,
Because the problem with overgrown jungles,
Is there's always more vines that will sprout,
And I know that it's hard to get in here,
But it's ten times as hard to get out" - My Mind Is An Overgrown Jungle
"It opens holes in what was solid ground,
The kind you never know are there,
Until you go to take another step,
and find you're standing over air" - Sadness
if there is a poet out that ever helped me feel and know how i want my own words &poems to make others feel.. then its E.H. she posses the power of making the written word morph into a scene in your mind that engulfs and engages all your senses. Her poetry makes you sad. It makes you happy and most often than anything, it makes the dark and quiet corners in your soul and mind speak. My everything wants to be still and quiet when i read her poetry. I even found my self insisting on reading her poetry out loud to myself as a part of me wants to feel the words as they vibrate through the air particles and sense them multiply into the fragments of my imagination...
and ink runs through her veins,
she'll write you into her story,
with the typewriter in her brain,
Her bookshelf's getting crowded,
with all the stories that she's penned,
of the people who flicked through her pages,
but closed the book before the end" - The storyteller
"I've spent years making it feel like home,
I can do anything that I want here,
To take my mind off the fact I'm alone,
Because the problem with overgrown jungles,
Is there's always more vines that will sprout,
And I know that it's hard to get in here,
But it's ten times as hard to get out" - My Mind Is An Overgrown Jungle
"It opens holes in what was solid ground,
The kind you never know are there,
Until you go to take another step,
and find you're standing over air" - Sadness
if there is a poet out that ever helped me feel and know how i want my own words &poems to make others feel.. then its E.H. she posses the power of making the written word morph into a scene in your mind that engulfs and engages all your senses. Her poetry makes you sad. It makes you happy and most often than anything, it makes the dark and quiet corners in your soul and mind speak. My everything wants to be still and quiet when i read her poetry. I even found my self insisting on reading her poetry out loud to myself as a part of me wants to feel the words as they vibrate through the air particles and sense them multiply into the fragments of my imagination...
December 7, 2017
This was by first poetry ebook and I loved it! Some of my all time favorite poems are from Erin Hanson, but I’ve always just read them here and there online. Finally, I decided to download the first book and absolutely loved it. While the themes were a little bit repetitive, I didn’t mind because they were still so touching.
December 10, 2017
I'm not usually a poetry kind of person... but I really enjoyed this book and the author's style. Definitely going to check out her other poems!
January 28, 2022
I loved the poems <3
November 24, 2022
Ah her poems are so gorgeous and comforting 🫶🏼
I found her poems on pinterest in 2017 and have been obsessed since.
I found her poems on pinterest in 2017 and have been obsessed since.
July 24, 2023
Just beautiful. Am normally not a huge poetry fan but this was gorgeous. A bit dark at times but some of the lines really hit me in the heart.
June 2, 2022
This is a really beautiful collection of poetry that left me feeling inspired, understood, comforted and challenged. Loved it.
January 19, 2020
It's beautiful!
July 7, 2021
ABSOLUTELY LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this book. these poems are all amazing. erin is probably my favorite author ever. okay. ATLEAST POET
August 10, 2019
*4.5
Rating this was truly difficult, because I know that if I read this three years ago, it would have been my lifeline... these days, my perspective has changed for the better, and the darkness was more like reminiscing than feeling. Overall, I still enjoyed the experience greatly, especially the beginning and end, but I think my current psyche limited my connection to her words, despite them being beautiful and honest (in her eyes).
In the end, I decided to give this book five stars, because Erin Hanson opened poetry up to me in a new way, and the flow of her poems... it's ridiculous how many times I just wrote, "I love this so much" in the margins. I wanted to annotate it, as I usually do, but her words leave no gaps in understanding. Their meaning is so clear. Their impact so refined. She is in control of your heart. Personally, I think she deserves to be in the rankings of Rupi Kaur, because I find so much more depth and thought in her writing. Maybe Milk and Honey just wasn't meant for me, but this is probably my favorite modern poetry book right now. Bending the Universe is also a good one.
I'll probably try to finish the series, because I hear the next two are most optimistic. I am definitely interested in seeing her growth as a person, and I think if I saw the overarching development of her character, I would relate to these poems much more.
My favorite poems from Reverie are "Arrow", "Chance", "Exist", "Hands and Feet", "A Poem for Society", "Welcome to Society", "Sadness", "Talent", "This", and "Okay". Clearly, there are a lot I liked. If you're interested in hearing the brilliance of Erin Hanson, simply look up her Tumblr, or look on Google Images. A few from the book are also online. Highly recommend checking her out, and supporting her career.
Rating this was truly difficult, because I know that if I read this three years ago, it would have been my lifeline... these days, my perspective has changed for the better, and the darkness was more like reminiscing than feeling. Overall, I still enjoyed the experience greatly, especially the beginning and end, but I think my current psyche limited my connection to her words, despite them being beautiful and honest (in her eyes).
In the end, I decided to give this book five stars, because Erin Hanson opened poetry up to me in a new way, and the flow of her poems... it's ridiculous how many times I just wrote, "I love this so much" in the margins. I wanted to annotate it, as I usually do, but her words leave no gaps in understanding. Their meaning is so clear. Their impact so refined. She is in control of your heart. Personally, I think she deserves to be in the rankings of Rupi Kaur, because I find so much more depth and thought in her writing. Maybe Milk and Honey just wasn't meant for me, but this is probably my favorite modern poetry book right now. Bending the Universe is also a good one.
I'll probably try to finish the series, because I hear the next two are most optimistic. I am definitely interested in seeing her growth as a person, and I think if I saw the overarching development of her character, I would relate to these poems much more.
My favorite poems from Reverie are "Arrow", "Chance", "Exist", "Hands and Feet", "A Poem for Society", "Welcome to Society", "Sadness", "Talent", "This", and "Okay". Clearly, there are a lot I liked. If you're interested in hearing the brilliance of Erin Hanson, simply look up her Tumblr, or look on Google Images. A few from the book are also online. Highly recommend checking her out, and supporting her career.
June 28, 2020
Erin Hanson is by far my favorite author out of every single genre ever. Coming from a person who struggles with decisive decision making skills, that is saying a lot. I just find her so inspiring. For her to create such beautiful pieces of art at age 17 is incredible. As a teenager myself I know how chaotic life can be with school, social, and parental pressure, at the same time when your hormones are acting crazy and things are growing and changing, all the while wondering if a boy/girl likes you and all at the same time debating the reason of your existence and ultimately trying to choose the career path that you will have to live with your whole life! Whew... being able to accomplish such a large dream at the same time is just amazing and I think everyone should acknowledge what she has done. Writing poetry is hard, it is the most vulnerable genre there is. Being able to express your self is something a lot of people struggle with, but Erin does it so beautifully. She creates such moving pieces with great wisdom and portrays life through such creativity and vision that everyone is able to relate to them in their own way. All in all after all this rambling, I just want to say everyone should read her artwork and just sit there in awe of it. If you ever read this Erin, I just want to say you are such an inspiration to me and I thank you for sharing your poems with the world. It is quite the honor. 😊
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