A lively collage of artistic expression.
If you want sappy endings, rigid structure, or heavy, archaic language, the poets of old are waiting to test your literary fortitude. But if you crave an author willing to keep it real without compromise, Nathaniel Terrell is the poet you’re looking for. His lyrical book, Before the World Moves On, is a breath-of-fresh-air collection that should be at the top of your reading list. Dozens of poems span loss, love, heartbreak, spirituality, politics, current events, injustice, addiction, aging, doubt, regret, consequences, and creative outlets. With an honest voice and a maturity that has been earned, Terrell’s innermost thoughts and struggles shine through. He notes, “I don’t fear dying / I fear dying from self contempt.” Favoring authenticity over elegance, Terrell’s heartfelt verse is crisp and emotionally direct yet still evocative. Some lines are so poignant that they could be the basis of a clever meme. Other stanzas have a brilliant cadence that rings out like music. An expression found in Audition, “I stand ten toes down,” demonstrates just how grounded this poetry is. The author’s difficulties and challenges come through, rewarding readers with a comfortable feeling of sameness and a deep sense of connection. Timely themes allow audiences to find solace in familiarity while taking them on a rhythmic journey of the heart that beats with genuine emotion.
Sober, humbling, and never condescending, the author speaks candidly about unavoidable realities. “Death is undefeated, collecting souls without prejudice / regardless of how powerful they were, or how hard they fought.” A haunting stanza indeed! A lively collage of artistic expression, the work displays an attention-grabbing variety of poetic styles, taking every advantage of pacing and spacing to allow readers to settle into each feeling and breathe between poems. It’s impossible not to admire the resolve in Thirteen to one, the perseverance in Within, or the unfiltered truth in No such thing. Though the collection isn’t dominated by a single defining mood, its darker elements are thoughtfully offset by moments of brightness. In Anecdotally, what begins as scars ends in beautiful scars, an acknowledgement that hardships shape us and become evidence of resilience. There are places where it’s difficult to tell if certain words constitute phonetic play or inadvertent malapropisms, but the flow and feel are in harmony, allowing maximal impact. A fresh collection that blends hopefulness with openness, Before the World Moves On is a group of accessible poems whose ideas will invite calm reflection and soothe the weary soul.
