Autumn by the Sea

by Dearestfolk Poetry

It began by the sea. A shipwrecked heart washed ashore before being thrown back into the depths of autumn. Like an old maritime tale, these nautical poems explore the journey between holding on and letting go.

Wandering through a coastal ghost town, a cliffside cottage, and an abandoned lighthouse slowly begins to restore all that was lost.

Healing is a rhythmic wave, after all, and this poetic collection invites you to rediscover the beauty in locking eyes with nature and learning to shift with the autumnal season.

218 pages, Paperback

Published September 9, 2025

Reviews

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m usually not one to read poetry, but this is the type I can handle. Delicate words jam packed with so much feeling and emotion. It’s truly a delight to read ❤️

[Reader Views · Rating 5 out of 5]

Autumn evokes a sense of longing for countless people. Autumn by the Sea by Dearestfolk Poetry (a.k.a. Ashley Archibald) taps into this feeling throughout all seven of its sections. Each “chapter” of micropoems tackles the eerie, yet strangely serene sensation of spending your time by the ocean during the fall. The sea, often associated with the warmth of summer, transforms into something far more mythical as the weather grows cold and mysterious. Autumn by the Sea explores this phenomenon through themes of feeling lost, finding yourself, and understanding how two apparent opposites can create magic.

All of the seven sections—perhaps like the seven seas?—flow together well; each are strung together through motifs of falling leaves, crashing waves, and sandy shores. Of the seven, I personally enjoyed “My Coastal Ghost Town” the most because of its gloomy atmosphere and poignant themes. The language throughout the book felt grounded and real; oftentimes, poetry tries to rely on overly complicated phrases to convey meaning, but Autumn by the Sea thrives in its simplicity. Micropoetry itself is defined by simple language and impressionistic strokes of feeling, and this poetry collection follows that format well. Each poem leaves the reader with a sense of longing which feels perfect for the fall season.

Additionally, the collection’s clear understanding of what makes the dichotomy of a cold ocean so interesting rubs off on the reader through imagery. The final section, “The Amberlight Glows Across Tomorrow,” contains particularly pertinent examples of this imagery. One poem states the following: “the sea turns autumn into folklore.” This feels like the perfect encapsulation of this poetry collection. Its simplicity explains the discordant nature of the sea in autumn and brings it to light for the reader to examine. The other poems in this collection work in a similar fashion.

For those who find themselves struck by wanderlust and longing, Autumn by the Sea by Dearestfolk Poetry will become a fast favorite. Lovers of fall, the in-betweens of life, and the sea will find themselves well represented in this collection of micropoetry. A great read for when you want to cozy up in a lighthouse with the wind rattling the windows!

[Elliana Jenness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ashley’s words are nothing short of heartfelt, melancholic, transformative, compassionate, comforting, and ethereal. I feel so happy to finally hold her lovely debut collection in my hands and I will treasure it forever. Her poems and verses leads us through a journey of learning and renewal, all through a lens of nature and changing seasons. One would truly relate to her poems with such simple yet profound substance it’ll have you rereading lines over and over. I adore her words, and I look forward to reading this again and again!

[Kathryn Langlois · Rating 5 out of 5]

“when it all begins to end, I find myself at sea”, this book makes me wish I were walking a forest trail back home, through an autumn NH wood until I reached the sea. Change, loss, growth, and becoming— are so beautiful examined in this collection of poems. I won’t look at leaves the same way this fall 🍁 🍂