by Jodene Wylie
It was during a casual afternoon that I found myself mindlessly scrolling through Pinterest. Beautiful houses, delicious foods, and inspirational quotes and ideas make up the bulk of my feed. I came across a poem by Lang Leav titled “Stardust,” and the rhythm of the words, the concept and idea, and the simple and effective presentation brought me to a pause. In some way, somehow, it made me feel ever so slightly more connected to our world and the people who occupy it. It was from this moment that I began to devour Lang Leav’s poetry.
Published in November of 2020, September Love is Lang Leav's most recent book. This capsule of escapist poetry speaks to all people in all manner of settings, but in many ways it speaks most strongly to the writer. There are poems about the “Ingredients of a Poem,” “Why [She] Write[s],” and “The Path of a Writer.” There is a poem responding to dissenting voices after they’ve read her words in “To the Guy Who Claims My Poetry Was the Cause of His Break-Up,” and one about what it is like to be a poet in today’s world in the short and succinct “Be a Poet.”
When I read this collection, I knew that this was a book that needed to be recommended on Cloud Lake Literary’s website and social media. As writers, we seek voices and material that not only inform us but commiserate with us. We want to be understood by our peers, by those who have walked the road before us, and by those we admire. Leav's words are straightforward—by offering a specific perspective and opinion—while at the same time offering an idea for the reader to connect with in their own way and on their own terms.
This collection presents diversified content. “Motherhood” offers a nod to mothers and the role they play. “A Life Unlived” encourages us to get out of our heads and to be more present. I also greatly appreciate “A Woman,” which reflects on societal conditions and expectations, and directs the reader to be whoever they are and to live the life they want for themselves. Even in this age of COVID-19 and its various variants, “Always Will” reminds us of a time before all of this change, difficulty, heartache, and upheaval, and takes us back to when we would never have imagined losing our “normality” and how fortunate we once were to take it for granted. Leav also shares her thoughts on love, from the beautiful and heart-warming, to the fleeting, to the devastating, and to the fond memories and reflections love has provided.
Leav does not seek to speak above the reader: there is no ego in her words, no attempts to outthink or outsmart, only to share her thoughts. By the end of the book you will feel as though you and Leav are dear friends, connected through her poetry of secrets, opinions, advice, and stories. She does not maintain a consistent structure, which is refreshing as you read through her collection. Poems may be designed as a paragraph, a sentence, or written in the more traditional stanza form. She puts enough words on the page to convey her thoughts and a specific emotion without bogging down the piece unnecessarily. It is both a comfort and a pleasure to read her work.
Should you be looking for a new book of poetry to read, I highly recommend September Love. Add it to your nightstand and read a poem or two each evening and perhaps journal your thoughts on what you’ve just read. Do you connect with it? Have you experienced what she has written about? What poem would you write in response to the one you’ve just read? September Love is wonderful collection and I hope you are able to dive into it soon.