On page 67, she says, 'I keep reminding myself that we are not feeling the same things. I feel her loneliness when she says, 'Driving home with an empty passenger seat, an aching reminder of you leaving me' and cries a tear into her coffee in the drawing next to her poetry. One trigger or one event, one word even, can alter our perception and change our mood completely. Will the next page make me feel passion or heartache, happiness or loneliness? To me, this shows how emotions change so quickly. With Lili's collection of poetry, I really enjoy the different moods from poem to poem. It's easier for me to want to shut down- and I accidentally shut out those around me. Anxiety, for me, makes it difficult for me to function properly. 'I wish I would've kissed you harder before I left this morning.' With this statement, I feel my own regret when I leave in an anxious mood and don't give my significant other much attention.

I'm able to analyze my subconscious and unravel why certain phrases impact me so much. 'Sometimes I open my eyes when we kiss to see if you're as lost in me as I am in you.' Through her words, I learn more about myself. There are so many lines where I stop and re-read the words because they are so addicting. It involves showing the world our wounds, and I'm glad Lili chose to share her mind and emotions with the world. It's hard to function with change and constant worry, but poetry is a way to understand the pain and to connect. I, too, battle with depression and anxiety. Words are so powerful because pain is universal, as is love. I've been writing poetry for several years, and I love when I can connect with someone else's words and feel something.

Swimming lessons poems book review