“When my inner light shines it makes my whole appearance brighter and allows my soul to glow.” Such a heartening voice touches every poem in this compact volume. Encouraged to express emotion through the sharpest of tools, the written word, Andre Jerry uses poetry as a powerful outlet to detail a life spent searching for happiness and peace. Write Or Die: Expressions of Life, Love & Loss is an approachable group of poems divided into three distinct parts, which come together to tell an impassioned story laced with heartache, frustration, thankfulness, and a reverence for the divine. Struggles with loneliness, the desire to fit in, and flickering self-worth are just a few of the themes and musings Jerry shares as his poetic journey moves steadily toward contentment. The verses have a pleasant flow and a steady rhythm, making the text enjoyable by non-aesthetes looking for a straightforward book of heartfelt poetry. Nothing is held back as Andre Jerry bares his very soul and weaves a compelling picture of his life in verse.
Andre Jerry’s refreshing poetry has a notable core of spirituality and devotion tethering the poems together. Of course, there are bitter moments, struggles with grief and resentment, and all the typical pitfalls in life to contend with, but the overall feel of this collection is reverential and warm. Covering a nonlinear period in time of about two years, a solid narrative molds these individual poems into a seamless story. Feeling comfortable with his sexuality, finding love for the first time, living with heartbreaking loss, and finding the strength to move on are all covered in these simplistic yet honest poems. Though there are elements of racial discord and openly sexual situations, nothing veers into overly edgy territory, keeping the material easy to absorb for most sensibilities. A collection of intrinsically LGBTQ poetry, Jerry’s expressions are genuine, offering moving verses for anyone with a heart. While there is more to be told in his spirited life, Write Or Die: Expressions of Life, Love & Loss – Vol. 1 is an unprocessed and appealing snippet of the intimate portrait of a man truly learning how to live.
