Customer Reviews

The Poet Speaks in Black

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I received this book in mail just before a Thanksgiving road trip to Dallas! Thank God it arrived on time. I could not put the book down. As a poet, I found myself totally "into" Terry O'Neal's delightful way with words. Sometimes I thought I was reading a poem I'd like to write myself. Other times I tricked my husband with her words along the road as I read him a poem or two from the book.

We often think of poetry as a fast read or a complicated read. You will want to read this book again and again as you find that you have favorites throughout the book. My personal favorites were "Choices," "Guide Me" and "Word of Mouth" to name a few. Terry O'Neal not only speaks to you, but she teaches you a thing or two about life with her words and experiences. That's what poetry is all about.

It's a beautiful book inside and out: well written, well designed, well spoken and well worth the purchase! Congratulations to this sister poet for such stylistic, heart-grabbing poetry. Her words on life, history, family, relationships and self will have you believing she wrote the book just for you! I can't wait to read another selection by this author. Not only does this poet speak in "black," but she also speaks with a language that your soul can understand. Great book of poems, a must have if you call yourself a poet and/or poetry reader!

Latorial Faison
www.latorial.com

I,ve meet Terry O'neal, through a cousin of mind. She is a great family person' and dedicated to her work. I bought some of her books and i was happy i did because she can write. I'm an author and i know good writing, this girl has a vision that will have you laughing and cring at the same time. I recommend (THE POET SPEAKS IN BLACK) and any of her books.

Poet and author Terry A. O'Neal, truly finds her voice in a moving collection of free verse prose called "The Poet Speaks In Black" that encompasses and reflects who she is. Her poems stand outside the circle of standardized thinking and common views and soars with her spirit. However, these poems are not confined to just her own African American culture--although she proudly walks and displays that emotional aspect in her words and themes--but she takes on a universal oneness quality that most all men and women can identify with. I personally felt the oneness she conveys with her poetry.

Her words translate feelings and emotions and conjure up inner visions of life around her. She transcends the ordinary at times and wanders across the pages with her simple words strung together that make emotional connections with the reader. Her over-all work in this collection is pure gold. I think the only way this book could be appreciated more would be to hear her give a live performance reading her poems in a gentle voice that I am sure would radiant with the fullness of her heart.

O'Neal even has a couple of moving poems that reflect the happenings of 9/11. The book over-all feeling is one of compassionate acceptance with who you are. She writes a wonderful poem to that effect in her strongest poem of the book titled "Birthmark". She conveys full appreciation and comfort at being who she is--"from toasted skin to chocolate dark." and even with her place in life. These were obviously written by a very secure and confident woman. There is lots of that feminine energy flowing but not enough to scare away male readers. It is not pushed as any kind of agenda--she just is what she is and it comes across as satisfied and honest.

I strongly recommend this wonderful book of poetry. It comes in a simple hardback book with a black front cover with an image of an empty stage with a microphone. On the back cover there is an elegant portrait of the poet herself.

First Published in the Elk Grove Citizen Newspaper

THE POET SPEAKS IN BLACK is a melancholy collection of poetry by Terry a.
O'Neal that covers a gamut of life experiences. The poems will evoke emotion
and paint vivid pictures of the pain and hurt that many people experience.
The mood of the collection is somber, but laced with hope. Pieces like 'Jump
The Fence' speak to the resilience of the human spirit. In this poem, O'Neal
talks about escaping and her words are so vibrant, you are running with her and
planning your own escape.

O'Neal uses her words like a painter uses color in his work. She creates a
world between each syllable and punctuation mark. The poems will leave you
sighing and pondering. She ends the collection with a thoughtful tribute to
September 11. After delving the reader into the abyss of sadness that
surrounds that day, she dips the tip of her brush into yellow paint and leaves
us with 'Lessons Learned,' reminding us that there is always hope in the midst
of darkness.

Reviewed by Diane Marbury (HonestD)
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

"Word of Mouth" [he say, she say] the poem rings true as does the entire collection. Terry A. O'Neal is a wordsmith. "Loose Change," "A Bottle's Blues," and "Behind Romance," are some of my favorites and posess words that take you poetically and hold you hostage, leaving you finally understanding what drives some people to write poetry. Her poems are crisp, clear and are varied in that they range from love to a prayer for the people. The Poet Speaks in Black is a collection that you'll be glad that you purchased and will encourage your friends to own for years to come.

The Poet Speaks In Black is a rich volume of rhythmic, free-verse poetry by Terry O'Neal, an emotional, talented, and compelling female writer. Encouraging dreams, pondering life, and stretching past the horizons of the mind, The Poet Speaks In Black is highly enjoyable reading whether aloud at a microphone or at quietly at home. Free At Last: As I lay on the ground/with a bullet in my chest,/faintly,/I hear the cries/of my family and friends/as they hover over me,/watching,/while I fight for my last breath,/frightened,/till that moment/I look up and see/the chariot/coming to carry me home.