Life is a journey, its destination unprescribed and unknown. In many ways, it’s like boarding a train. Presumably, there is one ultimate destination, but there are also many stops along the way, tangents that manipulate how we carry on and where we’ll eventually find ourselves. There are stories, too, lots of stories, for this journey of life really is one fantastic story – personal and impersonal, but predominantly and exclusively our story. How we see or perceive our own life will influence how we see other lives (both human and non-human) sharing their existence with us upon this planet

Veronica Thornton’s book, Train of Thoughts, is a thought-provoking collection of poetry with some essays and short stories. Each entry is a reflection of her life and how she perceives and reflects on life around her, opening up the possibilities for all of us to see differently. Some of the poems are rhyming verse, many are also free verse, all are very cleverly executed. She has an excellent command of language and I love her use of metaphors. Particularly the metaphor of the train (from the title and the first poem, “Prologue”). She uses the train as a metaphor for how thoughts collect and move on. At the same time, there is another meaning to ‘train of thoughts.’ It is not just a physical train, but one that suggests a logical progression of ideas. We often say a train of thought or my train of thought. The physical train has a pre-ordained destination, the metaphorical train of thought can lead one anywhere, in thought only, of course.

I also like the metaphor references to a bowl of soup: “a handful of strength with a sprinkle of wisdom/ flavored with positivity that was given/ a handful of warrior’s dance/ so the curve life threw didn’t have a chance.” Intense thoughts indeed. The author’s written word in the poetry of the universe, about time and place and where things lead us, is absolutely beautiful. I shall enjoy reading these works many times over.

So many years after the sing-song rhymes of “Little Miss Muffet” and “Georgie Porgie” faded from poetry popularity, rappers re-awakened our ears to powerful thoughts put into rhyme. Then, in January 2021, young Amanda Gorman mesmerized listeners with her poem at President Biden’s inauguration. Like many, I was in awe of her skills, but the instant I read the words below by Veronica Thornton, my mind caught fire and didn’t stop burning till I reached the end of her book, Train of Thoughts:

“A train of thoughts arrives and leaves the station
no signs upfront stating a specific destination…
more often than not they intersect
arriving in places one would least suspect”

Wow, just wow! How perfectly Veronica Thornton, or as she is known, Vee, captures how our minds work. Here is a collection of poems impossible to set aside and which one will read again and again for their powerful truths. Vee’s words speak not just to our hearts but to our souls, regardless of where we come from or what we have experienced.

Who of us hasn’t at times thought that the importance placed on looks is misplaced, just as Vee states here:

“Good ole Barbie
the supposed epitome of femininity creating victims of a distorted reality
while glorifying a self-hate mentality”

Ouch! But then, Vee reminds us of how special and unique we are by telling us

“That to make it in this world they told me I would have to put on a face
That I simply could not create
So I decided to create my own place in the world
Where I never have to put on a face
As the original me cannot be replaced.”

So many of Vee’s poems and stories have what I call a “Pow” factor. She hits hard. She tells us “Fear” is a “historical bully used to manipulate many like puppets on a string.” No less powerful is the lust she feels for “The Stranger”. How refreshingly raw! Oh, I could wax on about how delicious an experience it was to read Train Of Thoughts but no reviewer can capture all they feel in reading such honest words from a gifted poet. This is one collection you have to read yourself but don’t be surprised if when you finish, like Vee, you have lost your mind in her words and later found it “…sitting and contemplating with other things…” you forgot you left behind. Thank you, Vee, for sharing such profound wisdom and experiences with such feeling.