Intended for "the activist, the light worker, the student, the teacher, and all in between," Atonement is a collection of sixty-eight poems written by Nubia The Doorway from 2003 to 2017. The poems cover several uplifting, inspiring, and insightful subjects: Mother Nature, love, believing in oneself, being less egocentric and letting go of pride, music, consciousness and self discovery, spirituality, capitalism and socialism, what it means to be a woman, racism issues, divinity, and many more. As the subtitle suggests, Atonement combines two projects: Rise Up and Ascension Poetry. Rise Up is centered on activism and making a positive impact in the world while Ascension Poetry focuses on soul-searching and self-analysis.

Nubia The Doorway delivers her message to uplift readers and connect them to a higher calling with fun rhymes, clever wordplay, an intelligent piecing together of words, and expressions that reflect urban culture. Atonement depicts what it means to be a unique being created by God to thrive and radiate like a star, both inwardly and outwardly. The author's thoughtful and profound words reveal that she is not only a messenger but also someone who practices what she preaches and has developed her mindset to create such deep insights. I particularly loved the poems "I’m On That" and "To My Beautiful Black Men" because I felt they spoke to me personally. Also included in the book are pictures, guides to reading the poems, and a few Christian and Islamic messages. If you love reading books that lift up your spirit, Atonement is a fantastic choice.

Atonement: Rise Up and Ascension Poetry by Nubia The Doorway is a collection that is broken into several sections. The collection as a whole is brimming with a gamut of sources of life and power. In one section the sound of the poetry comes across, to me at least, as a female version of the activist, poet, and American rapper Common. I hear the words in a steady rhythmic, gentle, soulful, soft rap of sorts. Nubia The Doorway’s ability to connect the reader to the internal and external struggles that she and others have endured is like a bolt of lightning striking a tree. In other parts of Atonement, her poetic style carries with it a gravitas and revelational sense of what God gives to his people each day. The tones of voice are so unique, as though there are different people within her telling readers their stories and their journeys.

Nubia The Doorway’s collection Atonement: Rise Up and Ascension Poetry includes photography as well, mostly Egyptian relics and monuments that infuse the book with another degree of depth altogether. Nubia The Doorway seems to be just that, a body that creates and holds within it a soul that helps one soul get to another place, as her work truly feels as though you yourself are stepping through doorways into other places and other journeys. Two of the lines that spoke to me a lot were on page 146: “In this moment now I just need your shoulder/The weight of the world is digging a groove in me.” These words are just so powerful and incredibly relatable to all of us. If you are looking for your higher self, I suggest reading Atonement.

Atonement: Rise Up and Ascension Poetry is an anthology of poems that call your attention to enlightenment, to rise up, and to achieve a higher sphere in your being. The poet Nubia hits the poetry world with her own distinct style that she draws from the topics of self-actualization, healing, mysticism, and communing with nature. One interesting aspect of this book is its non-adherence to the linear format that we are all accustomed to in reading poetry. This is one of Nubia’s takes on the non-linearity of life, and she hopes to help rewire your perceptions by instructing you to read from back to front, and it is fun to follow the footsteps illustrations that go before you. Moreover, she recommends that you read each poem several times to solidly feel it in your heart and soul as you walk with her in this poetic journey.

Nubia has the voice of a mystic sage, and anyone coming from different walks of life can find solace in the healing properties of her verses. They are filled with moving observations of joy, melancholy, enlightenment, and change. They resonate with any tired souls in search of a refuge. If you choose to seriously respond by feeling the story in her verses as she has instructed, you come to the realization that Atonement takes poetry as an oral art that is being performed. By doing so, you feel that the words speak to you in a conversation that is intimate and infinite. You do much more than just reading, and whatever awareness it provides, it draws you to a higher consciousness that is a wonderful place to be a reader.

Atonement: Rise Up and Ascension Poetry by Nubia The Doorway is a collection of 63 inspirational poems that offer a little something to everyone. The collection is introspective and draws parallels with each other. Each poem lauds real people and the little battles they fight every day. There is a story to be found in each of these poems and each of them can be different for every reader. These universal pieces of poetry call for letting go, healing the soul, finding the answers, and self-discovery. This collection is the perfect food for thought and provokes the mind to look for answers and strive to do better. The poems embrace the individuality of each verse while telling a story. The photographs and the illustrations further add essence to the storyline the author creates and help things fall into place more cohesively.

The wordplay is brilliant, eye-opening, and entertaining. The author writes for everyone, which means the poetry is easy to understand. Some readers will be able to get the surface meaning on the first read-through, but as they read it again, they will be able to form connections. I particularly like “Sweet Life.” The strains of religion and spirituality are the first thing you notice, but when you read it again, it is a call for discovering your "self" and realizing what you are looking for. My second favorite is “A Gift From Isis.” The author gave such vivid imagery that transported me to Isis’s temple and to feel her joy after receiving flowers from Osiris. It is just one of the examples of atmosphere building by the author. They leave very little to the imagination and allow readers to feel everything the author is narrating. Atonement: Rise Up and Ascension Poetry by Nubia The Doorway is a great collection that will be much loved by avid poetry readers!