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We Were All Someone Else Yesterday
A hybrid text that deals most urgently in the articulation of growth and grief. After the loss of his mother, Omar Holmon re-learns how to live by immersing himself in popular culture, becoming well-versed in using the many modes of pop culture to spell out his emotions. This book is made up of both poems and essays, drenched in both sadness and unmistakable humor. Teeming with references that are touchable, no matter what you do or don't know, this book feels warm and inviting.
104 pages, Paperback
First published May 12, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
May 5, 2020
A collection of phenomenal, beautifully composed poems, We Were All Someone Else Yesterday by Omar Holmon is a heart wrenching, and emotional poetry book about grief, love, identity, and healing. At its core, this poetry book is about Holmon's family--it's a tribute to his mother, it's a heartbreaking cross-examination into his relationship with his father, it's a reminder of how bittersweet love can be and a beautiful ode to his roots, his culture and his heritage.
If I had to pick three things that I loved about this book, then that would be the rhythm, the imagery, and the raw passion in each of his poems. Like many modern poetry books, this book focuses more on creating vivid scenes rather than relying solely on metaphors. With every poem in this book, you can practically see the characters and the places jumping out of the pages--I absolutely loved the way he appeals to the reader's senses. There's "El Dorado Is A Taste, Not A Place", which features a macaroni and cheese roux, commits at least 3 stanzas to simply describe this dish, all to explain the pain of losing a loved one to death--and it was absolutely brilliant!
The poignant way in which he narrates his story only adds to the charm of this book, and overall, the book is perfectly balanced in terms of its emotional appeals--it has a bit of grief, a bit of wholesomeness, a bit of eloquence and a bit of swearing, a bit of rage and a bit of humor. They all work together to add a very personal feel to the story, and also added originality in a genre where it's rather challenging to bring something new to the table.
In summary, this is a poetry book that I would definitely recommend to anyone who loves modern poetry or poetry slams. Anatomy Of A Prayer is by far one of my favorites. Though I've never watched any of his live performances, the rhythm in each of his poems makes it easy to imagine just how engaging his performance would be. The book comes out next week on 12th May, so make sure to save the date and get yourself a copy--this one is definitely worth it.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of this book or the content of this review.
If I had to pick three things that I loved about this book, then that would be the rhythm, the imagery, and the raw passion in each of his poems. Like many modern poetry books, this book focuses more on creating vivid scenes rather than relying solely on metaphors. With every poem in this book, you can practically see the characters and the places jumping out of the pages--I absolutely loved the way he appeals to the reader's senses. There's "El Dorado Is A Taste, Not A Place", which features a macaroni and cheese roux, commits at least 3 stanzas to simply describe this dish, all to explain the pain of losing a loved one to death--and it was absolutely brilliant!
The poignant way in which he narrates his story only adds to the charm of this book, and overall, the book is perfectly balanced in terms of its emotional appeals--it has a bit of grief, a bit of wholesomeness, a bit of eloquence and a bit of swearing, a bit of rage and a bit of humor. They all work together to add a very personal feel to the story, and also added originality in a genre where it's rather challenging to bring something new to the table.
In summary, this is a poetry book that I would definitely recommend to anyone who loves modern poetry or poetry slams. Anatomy Of A Prayer is by far one of my favorites. Though I've never watched any of his live performances, the rhythm in each of his poems makes it easy to imagine just how engaging his performance would be. The book comes out next week on 12th May, so make sure to save the date and get yourself a copy--this one is definitely worth it.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of this book or the content of this review.
March 18, 2020
As much as I wanted to love this collection, I simply couldn't. I tried. But no, it made me so angry. I can understand and see through the lines what they are about but still it didn't come out well.
I can understand the angst and the possible misunderstandings that happened with the parents but I just simply couldn't stand the disrespect and the whole lot of swearing. I have faced the same things with my parents. We are aloof from each other. They never tell me they love me in words. Yes, I have the same typical family that's been described but no, even if I love straightforward, hard-hitting lines it just didn't work for me. The rest of the poems does nothing much.
This one collection annoyed me so much. I do feel guilty for having requested this book and had high expectations and actually ended up not enjoying it. Maybe I picked it up at the wrong time.
Thank you #NetGalley for the book #WeWereAllSomeoneElseYesterday
I can understand the angst and the possible misunderstandings that happened with the parents but I just simply couldn't stand the disrespect and the whole lot of swearing. I have faced the same things with my parents. We are aloof from each other. They never tell me they love me in words. Yes, I have the same typical family that's been described but no, even if I love straightforward, hard-hitting lines it just didn't work for me. The rest of the poems does nothing much.
This one collection annoyed me so much. I do feel guilty for having requested this book and had high expectations and actually ended up not enjoying it. Maybe I picked it up at the wrong time.
Thank you #NetGalley for the book #WeWereAllSomeoneElseYesterday
July 13, 2020
Wonderfully powerful collection.
May 18, 2020
Touching and heartfelt, Omar's work oozes with personality.
June 16, 2020
In his quick, lively debut collection, poet Omar Holmon delivers a rollercoaster of emotions chronicling everything from the death of a parent to racism to love to the pride in being a nerd. This is a book that will make you laugh, but will also make you think, often in the same poem. It may not be hugely advertised, but this is a solid addition to Button Poetry’s catalog, as well as an excellent testament to the experiences of a Black nerd trying to navigate family and this complicated world we live in.
In many ways, Holmon manages to pull off some truly impressive writing. His style is accessible and conversational, but filled with clever turns of phrase that underscore his linguistic artistry. In one of my favorite examples, the poem, “Having THE Talk with my nephew,” he sets up the entire poem sounding like an adult lecturing a child on the importance of paying attention and not causing trouble, only to pull the rug out from under you and reveal in the last line that he is actually talking about Super Smash Bros.
And this brings up another major strength of the book: much of Holmon’s poetry is informed by experiences with his family. His mother’s cancer diagnosis, his strained relationship with his father, and his efforts to be a good role model for his nephew all help to sculpt the narrative, immersing you in not just his personal narrative, but also in his family life. The poems involving his nephew are particularly impactful, as they give a venue to explore racism at a more fundamental level, be it a discussion of police brutality in “While helping my nephew assemble a toy city ice cream parlor and construction site for his city” or the blunt answer to questions about race in “My Nephew Learns About Race.”
I will say, there were a couple times where the writing just didn’t quite land where I think he intended it to–lines that felt redundant, poems that beat around the bush without fully reaching the point, and so on–but that is not uncommon in collections, especially in debuts. As a whole, this was a fantastic start to what I hope will continue to be a successful poetry career.
For a slightly longer version of this review, including some of my favorite quotes from the collection, check out myBLOG!
Thank you to Button Poetry for providing me with an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
In many ways, Holmon manages to pull off some truly impressive writing. His style is accessible and conversational, but filled with clever turns of phrase that underscore his linguistic artistry. In one of my favorite examples, the poem, “Having THE Talk with my nephew,” he sets up the entire poem sounding like an adult lecturing a child on the importance of paying attention and not causing trouble, only to pull the rug out from under you and reveal in the last line that he is actually talking about Super Smash Bros.
And this brings up another major strength of the book: much of Holmon’s poetry is informed by experiences with his family. His mother’s cancer diagnosis, his strained relationship with his father, and his efforts to be a good role model for his nephew all help to sculpt the narrative, immersing you in not just his personal narrative, but also in his family life. The poems involving his nephew are particularly impactful, as they give a venue to explore racism at a more fundamental level, be it a discussion of police brutality in “While helping my nephew assemble a toy city ice cream parlor and construction site for his city” or the blunt answer to questions about race in “My Nephew Learns About Race.”
I will say, there were a couple times where the writing just didn’t quite land where I think he intended it to–lines that felt redundant, poems that beat around the bush without fully reaching the point, and so on–but that is not uncommon in collections, especially in debuts. As a whole, this was a fantastic start to what I hope will continue to be a successful poetry career.
For a slightly longer version of this review, including some of my favorite quotes from the collection, check out myBLOG!
Thank you to Button Poetry for providing me with an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
December 25, 2020
This is one of those "it's not you, it's me" kind of books. I guess the real rating would be a 3.5 stars, if I were to rate it more subjectively, but I am going to round it up to 4 because it is not the book's fault, it's mine. I did not really connect with the writing style (more like texts or spoken language rather than written).
This is a mix of poetry and novel in verse and I think it would have appealed more to me if it had been one or the other.
TW for cancer (the narrator's mother died of it).
This is a mix of poetry and novel in verse and I think it would have appealed more to me if it had been one or the other.
TW for cancer (the narrator's mother died of it).
May 18, 2020
Powerful exploration of grief and its impacts
May 30, 2020
The cover was the first thing that attracted me, and then of course the title. "We were all someone else yesterday" - constantly evolving even when we don't want to. Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.
The book is a medley of several occurrences in the life of Omar Holmon, his relationship with his family, his mother's illness, and also includes his musings over all that is part of the life of a brown man in America. With all these forming the core, this book stands out in the way Omar adds his humor, making it feel light and subtle, but nevertheless making the reader emotional as well.
There are many lines in this collection that I could relate to both as a daughter to my mother and as mother to my sons, like,
"I see a reflection of my own
in her face staring back at me
but she's on the other side
staring back at me and seeing my father. "
and another one on the expectation of the beloved,
"who wouldn't want to see the words
their partner would use of their paged portrait?
Knowing full well they'll find out
once or if they ever break up. ",
and the one on thesuper toasterwas hilarious best, whileBlack girl magicwas a subtle take on racism, again with his humor intact.The list is endless.
All in all a very touchy collection of button poetry worth a read..
The book is a medley of several occurrences in the life of Omar Holmon, his relationship with his family, his mother's illness, and also includes his musings over all that is part of the life of a brown man in America. With all these forming the core, this book stands out in the way Omar adds his humor, making it feel light and subtle, but nevertheless making the reader emotional as well.
There are many lines in this collection that I could relate to both as a daughter to my mother and as mother to my sons, like,
"I see a reflection of my own
in her face staring back at me
but she's on the other side
staring back at me and seeing my father. "
and another one on the expectation of the beloved,
"who wouldn't want to see the words
their partner would use of their paged portrait?
Knowing full well they'll find out
once or if they ever break up. ",
and the one on thesuper toasterwas hilarious best, whileBlack girl magicwas a subtle take on racism, again with his humor intact.The list is endless.
All in all a very touchy collection of button poetry worth a read..
May 19, 2020
Omar Holmon's "We Were All Someone Else Yesterday" is a very brave piece of work. It defies the boundary of the genre to create its' own function. This is a book of poetry that serves as an autobiographical snapshot of Holmon's grief at his mother's passing. I can guarantee you will never read a voice like this one anywhere else.
The book is a raging sea of pop culture references and interpersonal relationships set against one another. There are moments where you don't know if you're reading a collection of poems or an intimate journal detailing the author's shifting mental health. Every few stanzas readers are gifted with instances of literary magic where Holmon pens a phrase that just breaks you. These tear-inducing reflections remind you he is a master of his craft.
Any poet can fill a book with the words that speak to the art of poetry, few can fill a book with the full spectrum of their humanity and speak to the darkness of that experience. Omar Holmon does so with undeniable transparency. You will know who he is upon reading this work.
The book is a raging sea of pop culture references and interpersonal relationships set against one another. There are moments where you don't know if you're reading a collection of poems or an intimate journal detailing the author's shifting mental health. Every few stanzas readers are gifted with instances of literary magic where Holmon pens a phrase that just breaks you. These tear-inducing reflections remind you he is a master of his craft.
Any poet can fill a book with the words that speak to the art of poetry, few can fill a book with the full spectrum of their humanity and speak to the darkness of that experience. Omar Holmon does so with undeniable transparency. You will know who he is upon reading this work.
May 20, 2020
This book is something between a memoir, storytime, and poetry collection. There is nothing else like it, and it was fun from beginning to end. Holmon blends casual wit with poignant observations, lulling you into security with his easy narrative style and then BLAM hitting you with that heartache. I loved it, cannot say enough great things.We Were All Someone Else Yesterday
May 17, 2020
I LOVED this book. I devoured it all in one night. It's so fresh, so funny, and so heartbreaking. This book is for fans of hip hop and game of thrones, who can ride the waves of family dynamics and pop culture at the same time. It is honest, it is tragic, and Omar Holman finds the cracks of humor in the darkest of time of his whole life: a true superpower. There are love poems. There are poems about death and loss. There are epilogues to comment on all the dope follow up parts of the previous poems. I loved when the poems would reference writing a poem.. Then BAM... theres the poem on the next page. Read this book for a fresh 2020 poetic voice that leaps off the page and settles right into your guts. What a debut.
May 17, 2020
A collection of poetry that takes you on the journey of a young man grieving the loss of his mother. Authentic and touching with a splash of humor. Would recommend.
December 1, 2023
Im in tears. I will die on this hill believing that poets talking about love and grief can be the most powerful form of art.
There's a poem called Precious Little Life and the way he used Elephants as a way to show his grief..... CHANGED my life and now is one of my fave poems ever.
There's a poem called Precious Little Life and the way he used Elephants as a way to show his grief..... CHANGED my life and now is one of my fave poems ever.
April 3, 2020
I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley.
This is a very personal book, it's hard not go get emotional. It is a really nice memoir in the form of poetry. However, some poems weren't very good and the swearing was exaggerated. Rating: 3/5 stars
This is a very personal book, it's hard not go get emotional. It is a really nice memoir in the form of poetry. However, some poems weren't very good and the swearing was exaggerated. Rating: 3/5 stars
May 9, 2020
Name: We Were All Someone Else Yesterday
Writer: Omar Holmon
Genre: Poetry
Review: The cover is beautiful which makes this book attractive and eye catching for the readers. At first, I didn't understand the meaning of the cover, but when I did, I had tears in my eyes.
"Migration becomes second nature to me now
I move out of our apartment,
I move in with a friend,
I can move everything but
on "
The poet breaks our heart with his words. The poetries are good which makes us laugh when our eyes are full of tears. Most of the poetries in this book deals with the poets life, family, friends, love as well as discrimination and racism.
Some of my parts from the book are:
“Lets call a spade a spade, not a gardening tool”
Refers to calling something as it is
Speaking bluntly without “beating around the bush"
"history will say “donated”,
when they mean taken
history will say “cultivated”,
when they mean stolen
history will say “discovered"
"I know that peacocks
have a huge need for companionship,
alone they get heartbroken
I am alone now,
I doubt I am a peacock,
I mean,
I doubt that I am a heart broken "
Writer: Omar Holmon
Genre: Poetry
Review: The cover is beautiful which makes this book attractive and eye catching for the readers. At first, I didn't understand the meaning of the cover, but when I did, I had tears in my eyes.
"Migration becomes second nature to me now
I move out of our apartment,
I move in with a friend,
I can move everything but
on "
The poet breaks our heart with his words. The poetries are good which makes us laugh when our eyes are full of tears. Most of the poetries in this book deals with the poets life, family, friends, love as well as discrimination and racism.
Some of my parts from the book are:
“Lets call a spade a spade, not a gardening tool”
Refers to calling something as it is
Speaking bluntly without “beating around the bush"
"history will say “donated”,
when they mean taken
history will say “cultivated”,
when they mean stolen
history will say “discovered"
"I know that peacocks
have a huge need for companionship,
alone they get heartbroken
I am alone now,
I doubt I am a peacock,
I mean,
I doubt that I am a heart broken "
September 13, 2021
Don't shoot the reviewer, okay?... You're sending death rays at me through your eyes because of those two stars, aren't you?
Well anyway...
Truth be told I had this book originally marked at 3 stars, but I felt like I was lying to myself. It's not that Ididn'tlike the book, it's just that Ididn't connectwith it. Which, is probably my biggest problem. Now don't get me wrong there are some truly powerful pieces in here. A couple times I came to a full stop before I went on to the next poem. The magics in there. I just wasn't able to hold onto it myself.
This collection of poetry is a tribute to Omar's mom and there's something really wonderful about that. The way the book starts and ends is strong. The poem (Continue?) about his mom wanting to play Street Fighter and then not being able to press continue is absolutely haunting.
I think my problem isn't so much that I didn't like this book as I don't know anything about Omar. Hear me out, usually when I get something from Button Poetry I've already listened to their slam poetry. I already know I want to know more. With this collection, I bought it at random (part of a bundle type deal). And sure I could have looked Omar Holmon up before I sat down to read this, but I wanted to give the collection a try without any preconceived notions. Now that I'm done, however, I'm definitely going to look him up. I didn't not enjoy the ride, I've just enjoyed other things more. 🤷🏻♀️
Well anyway...
Truth be told I had this book originally marked at 3 stars, but I felt like I was lying to myself. It's not that Ididn'tlike the book, it's just that Ididn't connectwith it. Which, is probably my biggest problem. Now don't get me wrong there are some truly powerful pieces in here. A couple times I came to a full stop before I went on to the next poem. The magics in there. I just wasn't able to hold onto it myself.
This collection of poetry is a tribute to Omar's mom and there's something really wonderful about that. The way the book starts and ends is strong. The poem (Continue?) about his mom wanting to play Street Fighter and then not being able to press continue is absolutely haunting.
I think my problem isn't so much that I didn't like this book as I don't know anything about Omar. Hear me out, usually when I get something from Button Poetry I've already listened to their slam poetry. I already know I want to know more. With this collection, I bought it at random (part of a bundle type deal). And sure I could have looked Omar Holmon up before I sat down to read this, but I wanted to give the collection a try without any preconceived notions. Now that I'm done, however, I'm definitely going to look him up. I didn't not enjoy the ride, I've just enjoyed other things more. 🤷🏻♀️
June 1, 2020
3.5 Stars.
Reading this collection, you could feel the author's pain and grief. The poems about his mother's death were heartbreaking to read, but they served their purpose and conveyed the lingering saddness that comes with a death of a parent. Personally, I loved the poems that covered race. They were impactful and with everything going on in America right now, these poems were the ones that effected me. However, I did think the writing style was average. The informal tone was deliberate, I just think the poems would've hit harder if the writing was a bit more complex. That is just my opinion though, I'm sure a lot of people enjoyed the infomal tone. I do also think some of the poems were quite boring or unnecessary. Some poems left me thinking... "oh ok. Why though?" I just though a few of the poems were irrelevant.
Overall, the author delivered on the emotion, I just think the execution could've been a little better.
Reading this collection, you could feel the author's pain and grief. The poems about his mother's death were heartbreaking to read, but they served their purpose and conveyed the lingering saddness that comes with a death of a parent. Personally, I loved the poems that covered race. They were impactful and with everything going on in America right now, these poems were the ones that effected me. However, I did think the writing style was average. The informal tone was deliberate, I just think the poems would've hit harder if the writing was a bit more complex. That is just my opinion though, I'm sure a lot of people enjoyed the infomal tone. I do also think some of the poems were quite boring or unnecessary. Some poems left me thinking... "oh ok. Why though?" I just though a few of the poems were irrelevant.
Overall, the author delivered on the emotion, I just think the execution could've been a little better.
May 31, 2020
A very moving collection. It's trips close to "instagram poet" territory, but what saves it is its specificity. Holmon goes deep into his hope and his hurt from from love (both romantic and familial), from his complex relationship with his father, from the realities of race and gender in our society, and from the searing loss of his mother. And the hope and hurt is leavened with a good amount of humor and nerd cred which makes this a very interesting collection.
February 26, 2021
This could have been depressing as at least 12 of the poems are about the poet’s mother who passed of cancer but while the grief is evident the poems focus more on cherished memories and reflect a fierce life.
May 21, 2020
Poetry at its best - grief, humour, fun facts and memories. An outstanding collection of poems. It has some pretty powerful lines.
March 15, 2020
*I received a copy of this book through NetGalley.
This poetry collection hit me super hard. As someone who lost a parent to cancer some of the poems were truly heartbreaking. Each one was a vignette into another facet of experiences the author had, whether it be the loss of his mother, things that happened in his family, relationships or other important events.
The writing was beautiful, even when there were changing tones and themes. It's very much a collection about human experience, grief and more. I would definitely recommend it, but take note that there is definitely a trigger warning for death of a parent.
This poetry collection hit me super hard. As someone who lost a parent to cancer some of the poems were truly heartbreaking. Each one was a vignette into another facet of experiences the author had, whether it be the loss of his mother, things that happened in his family, relationships or other important events.
The writing was beautiful, even when there were changing tones and themes. It's very much a collection about human experience, grief and more. I would definitely recommend it, but take note that there is definitely a trigger warning for death of a parent.
March 14, 2024
I come back to this one so often. Omar Holmon’s style is the kind of contemporary I will never get sick of. A cesspool of pop culture, blackness, honesty, & human. Most important of all is this idea of living. This collection of poems tells me what it can mean to live, on all fronts, in all times.
Anatomy Of A Prayer is in my top 2 of all poems, and it’s not 2.
Anatomy Of A Prayer is in my top 2 of all poems, and it’s not 2.
June 15, 2020
Reading this felt like I was experiencing a spoken word event. Omar Holmon'sWe Were All Someone Else Yesterdaywill transport you to your usual bar, ice-cold beer on the table which you will eventually forget because Holmon is on the stage giving us a performance like our lives, not just his, depended on every single line of beautiful poetry he wrote. Beer, still on the table now warm, remains untouched, yet we're drunk all the same; this time, on emotions.
Each piece feels personal and vulnerable that I wonder how much energy it took for Holmon to create, edit, and finalize this entire collection.
From the jokes and laughter provided by "Depends on the height of the bridge" to something as heartbreaking as "Copper" to the fucked-up reality that led to "A spade stay a spade" and to the thought-provoking "Colonization," our emotions will experience a rollercoaster that would make you ask yourself, "Why did I even read this book when I knew it will fuck me up?" And to that, the answer would be, "Because you have to. Because it's a sin to close your eyes once you see all the injustice happening. Because you have to understand and learn in order to know how to help."
We Were All Someone Else Yesterdayshows us Holmon's struggles with the death of his mother, his complex relationship with his father, the still fucked-up reality of how society views race, and some hint of hope towards the importance of gender equality. All in all, this is an amazing collection of poems which I know that I will forever find myself recommending to people, and I can already see myself borrowing some lines to include them in the modules that I use for talks on mental health. Also, I would honestly love to see Omar Holmon perform live (fingers crossed that he visits the Philippines).
Huge thanks to Omar Holmon and Button Poetry for providing me with an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Each piece feels personal and vulnerable that I wonder how much energy it took for Holmon to create, edit, and finalize this entire collection.
From the jokes and laughter provided by "Depends on the height of the bridge" to something as heartbreaking as "Copper" to the fucked-up reality that led to "A spade stay a spade" and to the thought-provoking "Colonization," our emotions will experience a rollercoaster that would make you ask yourself, "Why did I even read this book when I knew it will fuck me up?" And to that, the answer would be, "Because you have to. Because it's a sin to close your eyes once you see all the injustice happening. Because you have to understand and learn in order to know how to help."
We Were All Someone Else Yesterdayshows us Holmon's struggles with the death of his mother, his complex relationship with his father, the still fucked-up reality of how society views race, and some hint of hope towards the importance of gender equality. All in all, this is an amazing collection of poems which I know that I will forever find myself recommending to people, and I can already see myself borrowing some lines to include them in the modules that I use for talks on mental health. Also, I would honestly love to see Omar Holmon perform live (fingers crossed that he visits the Philippines).
Huge thanks to Omar Holmon and Button Poetry for providing me with an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
June 11, 2020
I received a free digital copy of this book from Netgalley.
When I first started reading this book, I didn't realize that I already knew who Omar Holmon was, that I'd seen his poetry videos on Youtube some 5+ years ago and found his poems to be funny and open and warm, but as I read his book, that same energy just came shining through and I ended up going back to YT to hit up all the old favourites.
In terms of this collection, Holmon perfectly captures the small everyday moments, both banal and wonderful, that not only make up a life but summon into being a family - a whole community really - of loving, angry, hurt, giving, betraying people. It's potent in it's honesty, and although the grief he feels is crystal clear on the page, his poems draw attention to what is inevitably behind his grief (what is always behind grief really): love.
What distracts from the content however, was the frequent typos/grammatical errors/occasionally ugly formatting that made for a somewhat frustrating reading experience. Hopefully these issues are present only in the digital copies and can be rectified easily enough. I also felt that a couple of the poems could do with a little editing in terms of cutting back some of the fat. Sometimes ideas and feelings became weighed down with a bit too much clutter.
Despite these (very minor) issues, I still enjoyed reading this book. It's a strong collection and it's coherent both in aim and execution, which isn't always the case with projects such as these. I would definitely recommend to anyone with an interest in contemporary poetry, especially if that interests intersects with a passion for pop or nerd culture.
4* for the formatting issues/errors, would have otherwise been 5.
When I first started reading this book, I didn't realize that I already knew who Omar Holmon was, that I'd seen his poetry videos on Youtube some 5+ years ago and found his poems to be funny and open and warm, but as I read his book, that same energy just came shining through and I ended up going back to YT to hit up all the old favourites.
In terms of this collection, Holmon perfectly captures the small everyday moments, both banal and wonderful, that not only make up a life but summon into being a family - a whole community really - of loving, angry, hurt, giving, betraying people. It's potent in it's honesty, and although the grief he feels is crystal clear on the page, his poems draw attention to what is inevitably behind his grief (what is always behind grief really): love.
What distracts from the content however, was the frequent typos/grammatical errors/occasionally ugly formatting that made for a somewhat frustrating reading experience. Hopefully these issues are present only in the digital copies and can be rectified easily enough. I also felt that a couple of the poems could do with a little editing in terms of cutting back some of the fat. Sometimes ideas and feelings became weighed down with a bit too much clutter.
Despite these (very minor) issues, I still enjoyed reading this book. It's a strong collection and it's coherent both in aim and execution, which isn't always the case with projects such as these. I would definitely recommend to anyone with an interest in contemporary poetry, especially if that interests intersects with a passion for pop or nerd culture.
4* for the formatting issues/errors, would have otherwise been 5.
April 19, 2020
Thank you to Button Poetry & NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!
Available May 12 2020
Stirring and vulnerable, We Were All Someone Else Yesterday is Omar Holmon's account of dealing with the strages of grief as he witnesses his mother pass away from metastatic cancer. Along the way, we are touched by different events and women in Holmon's life, from his irrepressible Australian Indian fiance to his adorable nephew Keee. Written in a conversational manner, you can almost see Holmon jumping off the page and performing these pieces right in front of you! In these troubled times, this collection can help ease the loneliness as you laugh, cry and hold your family a little bit closer.
Available May 12 2020
Stirring and vulnerable, We Were All Someone Else Yesterday is Omar Holmon's account of dealing with the strages of grief as he witnesses his mother pass away from metastatic cancer. Along the way, we are touched by different events and women in Holmon's life, from his irrepressible Australian Indian fiance to his adorable nephew Keee. Written in a conversational manner, you can almost see Holmon jumping off the page and performing these pieces right in front of you! In these troubled times, this collection can help ease the loneliness as you laugh, cry and hold your family a little bit closer.
April 27, 2020
"A book of poems and essays that are drenched in both sadness and umistakable humor"
This is written by a black author that lost his mother to cancer. A lot of the poems/ essays are about her and their relationship, and those are my favorite! You can feel the bond they had and his grief.
Unfortunately most of the other poems didn't really resonate with me, but I guess it's mostly because he includes a lot of stuff that other black people would be familiar with, which is absolutely great! I love that and I think a lot of people would really appreciate it (as do I) but because I'm white and I didn't grow up the way the author did, I can't relate that much to the things he's describing.
Nevertheless it was nice to see life from a different perspective.
2.75/5 stars
This is written by a black author that lost his mother to cancer. A lot of the poems/ essays are about her and their relationship, and those are my favorite! You can feel the bond they had and his grief.
Unfortunately most of the other poems didn't really resonate with me, but I guess it's mostly because he includes a lot of stuff that other black people would be familiar with, which is absolutely great! I love that and I think a lot of people would really appreciate it (as do I) but because I'm white and I didn't grow up the way the author did, I can't relate that much to the things he's describing.
Nevertheless it was nice to see life from a different perspective.
2.75/5 stars
April 17, 2020
2.5/5
I received an ebook via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a very personal and emotional book, but as much as I wanted to like it, I didn't.
I didn't like the swearing in this book and some poets weren't that amazing. I didn't get the disrespect for the parents, but maybe because I have the same kind of parents and didn't have the same thoughts and feelings as the author and I'm clearly not the only one with this opinion as I read the other reviews just now.
But there were a few poets that made me cry that had other themes and events. So that's why I chose to round up to a 3.
I received an ebook via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a very personal and emotional book, but as much as I wanted to like it, I didn't.
I didn't like the swearing in this book and some poets weren't that amazing. I didn't get the disrespect for the parents, but maybe because I have the same kind of parents and didn't have the same thoughts and feelings as the author and I'm clearly not the only one with this opinion as I read the other reviews just now.
But there were a few poets that made me cry that had other themes and events. So that's why I chose to round up to a 3.
May 2, 2020
I received an ebook via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was excited to read this as I'm a huge fan of the publisher Button Poetry and typically enjoy the work they put out. Unfortunately, this book did not resonate with me as expected. Something was missing that just didn't draw me in. I love rich imagery and texture, whereas this work was very...matter of fact. I will say as someone who has also lost a mother to sickness, I did admire the moments of nostalgia Holmon invited us to partake in. You can tell there's a lot of emotion poured into this work. A lot of honesty and grit. Overall this lacked the type of flourish I appreciate in a collection of poems.
I was excited to read this as I'm a huge fan of the publisher Button Poetry and typically enjoy the work they put out. Unfortunately, this book did not resonate with me as expected. Something was missing that just didn't draw me in. I love rich imagery and texture, whereas this work was very...matter of fact. I will say as someone who has also lost a mother to sickness, I did admire the moments of nostalgia Holmon invited us to partake in. You can tell there's a lot of emotion poured into this work. A lot of honesty and grit. Overall this lacked the type of flourish I appreciate in a collection of poems.
May 31, 2020
With a slam poet performing background, the poems in Omar Holmon’s debut book of poetry, ‘We Were All Someone Else Yesterday’ have no problem standing up, standing out and becomes more than just mere words on the page. With poems that speak on everything from deep-seated loss still felt to this day-- the death of his beloved mother to loves that never took off flying to his weary reflections and observations about being Black in America, Holmon takes us along a ride that’s been in the making for several years.
From the exhaustion felt in the ending stanza of ‘A Spade Stays A Spade’:
A Black person: the set-up in a joke.
A Black culture: the delivery of a joke.
A Black life: a punch line that’s never not funny.
To the heartfelt lines from ‘For Those Who Need Both Hands To Lift Mjolnir’ of
“Lady Macbeth the spots of corrosion with steel wool
Before baptizing the skillet in the sink”
This collection of poems contains so more heart, so much grief, so much humor and so much carrying on, etching out a life, a precious little life that I welcome back into my life to read and reread again.
From the exhaustion felt in the ending stanza of ‘A Spade Stays A Spade’:
A Black person: the set-up in a joke.
A Black culture: the delivery of a joke.
A Black life: a punch line that’s never not funny.
To the heartfelt lines from ‘For Those Who Need Both Hands To Lift Mjolnir’ of
“Lady Macbeth the spots of corrosion with steel wool
Before baptizing the skillet in the sink”
This collection of poems contains so more heart, so much grief, so much humor and so much carrying on, etching out a life, a precious little life that I welcome back into my life to read and reread again.
March 9, 2023
"I believe in Murphy's Law," Everything that can go wrong will go wrong. "But I also believe in anomalies, that everything that can go wrong will get better. I believe the color human that God bleeds is compassion; and I believe the will to live is not privilege or birthright. It is right, it is instinct. Mom, I still believe that everything will be okay." - Anatomy Of A Prayer
I wanted so desperately to fall in love with this collection, but it ultimately just wasn't for me. I didn't connect with the writing style.
I wanted so desperately to fall in love with this collection, but it ultimately just wasn't for me. I didn't connect with the writing style.
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