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Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite
Poetry's Soulo: Creative Works to Uplift the Soul by Latonia Sears is a generous offering to fans of poetry and readers looking for words that connect with reality. In this collection, readers encounter someone who wants to see a better world. The poem “Hooked on Fonics” explains the poet’s mission in clear and beautiful lines: “Every poem I write /Is just a message /From me to you.” At times one feels as though the poems are lines of prose broken down to create stanzas, but there is a unique beauty in these poems, a simplicity of voice through the accessible diction. There are poems that are soul-searching, poems in which the author defines herself as one standing for love and seeking peace, and there are poems that hinge on the realities of life, like the duality in being, like the two “coins in everything.” There are poems about hope and there are poems about love; there are poems about life and there are poems about the dignity of the human person and inner freedom.
Whether writing about a mother’s love or an idea that can add value to human existence, Latonia Sears uses a style that allows her to connect with the reader in a way that is intimate. I love the author’s use of the pronoun “I,” which allows her to unveil the way she relates to things she speaks about. One of my favorite poems in this collection is “I’d Rather,” a poem that is done in the style of the African poets who celebrate negritude. It’s a subtle indictment of those who are ashamed of their color. “I'd rather be Afrocentric / Beautiful and bold / Than be a famous black tap dancer / In black face just playing a supporting role.” It’s hard to pin the author down to a unique style, but the diversity in themes and the freedom in the verse are indicative that these poems have been written over a long period of time and on different occasions. However, there is consistency in the author’s celebration of the spiritual beauty in the world and of the sacredness of humanity. Poetry's Soulo: Creative Works to Uplift the Soul is endearing, simple, and delightful.
