Between the Lines There Lies a Story of Me (The Lost and Found Hope) by Sabaine is a gorgeous collection of poems, an introspective look at life with all its challenges and the hope it offers. The poems cover a wide range of themes, capturing raw emotions, doubts, uncertainties, fears, and above all, the unique darkness that most readers will certainly identify with, the darkness that visits the soul in the low hours of the day. The author pierces reality with perceptive eyes, and seeks herself in moving lines of poetry. Sabaine immediately introduces the reader to a powerful existential question, one that few people take the time to consider: “Who am I?” But who can answer such a complex question? The poet understands her persona as a work in progress, an inscrutable marvel: “I can’t find a way to/ explain myself” (p. 27).

This collection contains fascinating narrative poems that will find powerful resonances in the hearts of many readers. This collection can be read as the poet’s own solitary musings, an outpouring of her pain, her love, and the feelings within which her soul is tangled. It is interesting to see how the poet looks at reality, at times detached, observing, and at times plunged in despair. For instance, listen to how she talks about perseverance: "It’s all so damn hard; / so damn hard to pick yourself /back up again / and again / and again…" (p.20). And then there is this dark despair that is reminiscent of Alfred Lord Tennyson in his epic poem “In Memorian”…The person suffers a heartbreak and finds herself “Crying in the night, / crying in the day. / Your heartbreak was a stinging / light running all the way toward / infinity.” (p.223). Somewhere else she says: “I am drowning. / I am drowning. / Love is a curse. / A feeling I can’t let enter / my heart. / Love is a cure. / One I can’t let escape my heart.”(p.258)

This beautiful collection of poems comes with a great style, the hip-hop style, and it is curious to feel the rhythm as one reads from poem to poem. The work is filled with symbolism and a darkness that carries an irresistible light within itself. I loved the humanity expressed in these poems and the poet’s honesty in portraying life as it is. Whether she talks about rape, rejection, breakup, struggle, or any other experience, she is real. Between the Lines There Lies a Story of Me (The Lost and Found Hope) by Sabaine is a collection that will be enjoyed by both poetry lovers and anyone looking for an interesting read.

Between the Lines There Lies a Story of Me: The Lost and Found Hope, Volume 1 by Sabaine is a compilation of poems. It is divided into ten parts; each part and poem is about a journey, pain, growth, and simply life. This is heavy stuff, some parts are depressing and others are just sad. But more than that, it is about facing your fears, facing yourself, and understanding yourself. These poems are extremely relatable, and anyone who has ever felt lost, confused, and desperate can read these poems and feel like they were written about them.

These poems are about fighting the odds, fighting for right and your right, and learning new lessons every day. We all lose some parts of ourselves as time passes. Then we forget and in our most vulnerable moments they come back to us, and we are left with a nostalgic ache for the old person and wishing we could be like that again. This collection of poems has many little nuggets that we all live through and appreciate. The poems are quite profound, insightful, and reflective.

I liked the titles they were given; each one gave the poems so much life and a deeper meaning. It made me smile before I started reading the poem and, once I started reading the poem, I understood what the title meant. That was very witty. You can actually see the poet’s witty charm through these poems. This was really, really good!

How does one get the name Sabaine from the real given name Sabrina? That’s the anomaly of life before computers ruled our existence and definitely defined us. A name is only a name, after all, and it only takes one misspelling to change that name forever. But does it change who we are? “Identity/This is a powerful word,” one which Sabaine/Sabrina is constantly struggling with, one that we all struggle with. Add to that identity the horrific actions of others, the bullying, the abuse, the rape, and what is left? A person who is deeply troubled, lost and confused. And, even between the lines, the remnants of what once was and what could have been struggle to exist, to find a meaning, a purpose to exist. It’s hard. Life, at its best moments is hard. But these horrific actions make life even harder.

Sabaine’s book of poetry, Between the Lines There Lies a Story of Me: The Lost and Found Hope Volume 1, tells a sad story of a young woman victimized, marginalized, and left ‘between the lines.’ Through her poetry, where she vents her agonized existence, demanding answers to what can’t be answered, the reasons for her abusive family, abusive friends, Sabaine finds solace between the lines and creating metaphors of treasured fairy tales like “Mirror, Mirror on the wall…” She comes to a sense of acceptance of who she is, a powerful realization that “A hollow plant can either be/crushed and/fade away into the darkness,/or it can blossom into a tree/ that’s powerful enough to withstand/a natural disaster/and tell the tale.”

Sabaine has succeeded where many others in similar situations could not. She has survived and she is starting to blossom. Telling her story through poetry, Sabaine can, and does, reach out to others in similar painful situations, assuring them that, although victimized and marginalized, between the lines they are much more: they are beautiful and strong and worthy of this life. A powerful expression of pain, suffering, and resurrection. Thanks for sharing.

Between the Lines There Lies a Story of Me (The Lost and Found Hope) (Volume 1) by Sabaine is an autobiographical set of poems that depict the author’s life. This is a collection of poems along with some prose inspired by Sabaine’s life and life events. Much of the poetry in this book deals with difficult subjects such as mental illness, death, heartbreak, and suicide, but at the same time there are also poems filled with hope and love. The title of the poem suggests its subject matter and they are ordered that way in the table of contents as well. Between the Lines There Lies a Story of Me can be read in any order, but it may be best to read it in a sequential order to really get the full experience of a person’s life story.

Between the Lines There Lies a Story of Me is a collection of poems that I thought were wonderful and very lyrical. I especially like the pain, emotions, and real feelings that come through and are captured perfectly in some of the poems that deal with subjects such as mental illness and suicide. I thought the book was well presented and the collection culminates in one of the best poems in this book. I really enjoyed this poetry and certainly look forward to more.