I Look To The Mourning Sky

A Book of Poems and Writing Prompts for the Grieving Heart

Poetry - General
114 Pages
Reviewed on 03/21/2022
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Tammy Ruggles for Readers' Favorite

I Look To The Mourning Sky: A Book of Poems and Writing Prompts for the Grieving Heart, by Liz Newman, could be the balm the mourning soul needs. Loss can come without warning, or it can come with the knowledge that it is going to happen, but either way, grief is a life-changing experience that we've all had before. Some grieve with more difficulty than others and seek ways to cope better. This volume of poems can help heal wounds and make some sense of loss and the grieving process. Sometimes when you're in the thick of it, you think you're by yourself, but these poems show the connection all mourners share.

Newman's poignant, emotional poems can touch the sadness that the grieving person is going through. But not only that, she invites readers to share their own bereavement by writing about them, aided by writing prompts that she provides at the end. One example of a prompt is called "Heart Check", which asks readers to examine their hearts and emotions on a given day and make note of them to increase awareness and get in touch with your feelings. Expressing grief via the written word can be tremendously helpful and healthy. Poetry can be cathartic, a shared experience, a way to process emotions that you yourself can't even put into words. Grieving has to occur at your own pace, and this book of poetry helps you do that.

To say that Newman's poetry also serves as a self-help tool would not be a stretch. But there is a balance in the poems--some are sad, while others are comforting and encouraging. There are a lot of poetry books you can pass on to others as gifts, but this one can actually help someone else if you do. Readers will be moved by selections such as the beautiful "I've Held Love Tightly", and encouraged by the poignant "An Old Bible". Wherever you are on your grief journey, take I Look To The Mourning Sky: A Book of Poems and Writing Prompts for the Grieving Heart by Liz Newman.