What I Learned from The Trees

by L.E. Bowman

2021 Button Poetry Short Form Poetry Contest Winner

What I Learned from the Trees delves into the intricate relationship between humans and nature, and how these often overlooked, everyday interactions affect us as individuals, families, and communities. With a backbone rooted in primordial imagery and allegory, and a focus on how the growing disconnect with our own wants, needs, and fears creates deeper divides in our relationships, this collection is notably relevant to today's society and the struggles we face with the ever-expanding detachment between humans and the natural world. Aren't all living creatures seeking a notable existence? A deep sense of belonging? Of relevance? Of purpose? Of love? How often do we yearn for these wants, yet fight the vulnerability it takes to reach them? Why do we so clearly seek each other, yet refuse to reach out our hands?

Genres: Poetry, Nature, Nonfiction, Environment

192 pages, Paperback

Published September 21, 2021

Reviews

[Preston Stell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm shocked to see that this book is under four stars. Was it it Bowman's unbelievably vulnerable state that she was working out of in writing this? Was it her depictions of nature and life and death that offended some of you?

This was a work of art. It woke me back up to poetry after almost a year off. This did for me what Patricia Smith's Blood Dazzler, Anis Mojgani's In the Pockets of Small Gods, Andrea Gibson's Pansy have done...it fucking wrecked me in the best possible way.

Bowman takes you in to the pain of what it is to live. She rests us there and wakes us to our little view of ourselves. This book is a tragedy for comfortable living and somehow a victory for enduring life at its most painful. I can't recommend it more highly. I love this woman and am so happy she is gracing us with her presence in our complicated world. Thank you L. E. Bowman. You're a gift to me.

[chasingholden · Rating 2 out of 5]

What I Learned from the Trees is a slim collection of author L.E. Bowman's musings on life, love and relationships. What attracted me first to this book was the title .I am a forest dweller by nature so a collection of poems centered around connecting to nature and titled for my beloved trees? I thought sign me up! The first couple poems referenced tree's briefly, touching on the fact that when one falls the roots provide nourishment to nearby trees which is a beautiful thought. That's about where it ended unfortunately.

The author does show a degree of understanding of poetry as a whole and there are some wonderful lines hiding within some not so great ones. The prose is jumpy at best, with poor word choice more often than not. I feel as though the author started with a clear vision but then wandered away and sort of forgot and it shows in the poem. They don't feel coherent at all.

I will say that I have read far worse attempts and I do believe that there is talent hidden within the author and potential however the prose just falls short and doesn't meet the standards of the books that will sit beside it on a shelf.

Thank you to netgalley and publisher for providing an advance e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Mikaela Preteroti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know that I have ever been so moved or seen by a collection of poetry. I want to write more about it, but I won't do it justice. Just do yourself a favor and read this book.

[Papercuts1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite as cohesive as her other collections, but I tabbed twenty-six of these poems as new favorites. And I cried over one.

So, what the hell. Four stars.

[Jacqueline_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not for the faint of heart

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dear Lauren E. Bowman,

Can we be friends?

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book of poetry. Weeks later and some of her poems still stick with me.

[JM · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have hoped for more nature inspired poetry from this title - while there is some, it's scattershot throughout the book and definitely a small portion of the contents. The layout of the book is to have a poem on the left, usually with a rather long title that itself contains a full idea, and then a smaller poem on the right, reflective on the poem it's paired with (which I quite liked). One example I enjoyed is titled The bravest thing you can do is tell yourself the truth, which is already an inspirational tweet of the day. The poem itself is about a bad relationship (as is seemingly half the book):

"... We built a home on paper beams, ignored the way the walls would shake anytime things got heavy. I guess the lonely cling to the lonely, and the starving feed off of each other. If only I could have seen how thin we were becoming. If only I realized how hard the ground hits when the falling finally does stop."

Opposite, one of my favorite sections: "You can fool the world for a period of time; you can even fool yourself, but one evening you will come home all heavy shoulders and fake smiles, and you will catch your eyes in the mirror. You will try to look away, try to hide, but they will hold you. You won't speak the truth, not yet, but you will know - you will know there is no more lying."

Direct, emotional, and with very little metaphor or attempt to do something interesting with language - it's not exactly what I expected from a book of poetry. I think the weakness of the book is exactly this: that a lot of it feels like elevated instagram poetry; like social media vagueposts. Obviously, I don't find that to be a show-stopper for my enjoyment, but there's a disconnect from the expectation set by the title, as I don't think My current obsession is fitness with the line "Half-naked fitness girl posing in mirror with inspirational quote" repeated eleven times is what we're learning from the trees - and this particular poem is surrounded by several other pieces of a similar theme and content.

When the book is on target, I think it shines, with passages like "The forest I ran in as a child is overgrown now. Paths made by bare feet there but hidden by trees and weeds. Sunlight scarcely makes it past the branches now. From where I stand, the center looks dark, and thick, and hungry. Still, it begs me to enter, or maybe it's just me calling to me."

Another favorite section: "There is a detachment in humans not often found in nature. Maybe this is proof of our creation, this feeling of other that keeps us disconnected from the world. Anything birthed from the dirt of this planet knows its place in the web, in the circle that connects systems, and lives, and souls all together. This exchange of energy. This take only what is needed to survive, this giving when it is time. But humans, we move forward making ghosts as we go, consuming lives for no reason, thinking creation comes from destruction, believing we are gods in a world that was never ours to own. -- I think we are unhappy because we are walking conundrums. All of us puzzles with round pieces and sharp edges. So lost and so sure. So unkind and so sensitive. So selfish and so self-loathing. So stuck on this world, and yet, so not a part of it anymore."

I like this thought, but it never develops into a serious analysis, or roots itself to a place or time, or gives me a new image or turn of phrase. I also struggled to relate to the author - she lays out calls to be mindful in so many of her poems about society ("It's how we watch the news and feel nothing. it's how we turn it off and return to our lives. It's how we drive over bodies [roadkill] and don't even care enough to count.") but in her relationship poems, she seems resigned to incredible passivity ("It's not your fault, how we respond with open bodies. We givers. We healers. We lambs who only know how to allow others to feed. You need me. I'm saving you, and it isn't murder if I sacrifice myself willingly.") and that passivity pervades everywhere.

There's clearly a lot of talent here, and I really enjoyed the layout and approach, even if the content and themes mostly did not click for me. I'm looking forward to seeing how this author develops in the future.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT I LEARNED FROM THE TREES

Lauren E. Bowman's second book of poetry, WHAT I LEARNED FROM THE TREES (Button Poetry; September 21, 2021), is profoundly vulnerable, employing the type of inventive, vivid metaphor that comes from fixed rumination. The book is written in free verse, which allows for a more intimate, interior, and run-on tone. Bowman writes accessible poetry in a style that will be popular among contemporary readers of Jane Hirshfield and Mary Oliver⁠—while impactful, the language is bare, clear, and direct.

Bowman opens with a collection of stinging remembrances, describing the ugly dependency of volatile relationships and the pain of breaking those bonds. Incrementally, the speaker learns to manage that pain and indeed to treat it as a catalyst for becoming something new and healthier. Bowman capably distills those processes of grief and loss: healing, bereavement, and the slow growth that follows.

WHAT I LEARNED FROM THE TREES is packed with imagery of animals, of plants, and of landscapes, emphasizing the wildness of being human, the fundamental essence of being an animal in the earth’s ecosystem, and the unstoppable vitality of life. In the throes of pain, Bowman describes the lurking wolves of anguish—on page 24:

“In my mind they were always emaciated
and desperate, and hungry;
hunkered beings that were part dog
and part despair.”

Later, a landscape of numbness: Bowman writes, “wrap yourself in silence... / allow time to move until the heat of a new season / comes down from the mountains” (148). And at long last, in the final section of the book, the speaker is able to fully engage with the earth⁠—

“maybe it was just the truth of the world…
the clouds and the trees and the birds
all said,
...tomorrow you will rise
with all of your strength.”

Bowman sits with our culture of need, linking the vulnerabilities of desire and cultural capitalism: “My hands are open, so why aren’t they full” (34), “My house is clean, and the food I eat isn’t frozen, / ...My life is beautiful, isn’t it?” (22), and “Nothing will drain you faster than work / you were not born to do.” (26). Later, that ‘have vs have not’ mentality is rejected. On page 200:

“I went hiking once…
there was us and the trees and what little we could carry
...We had nothing and everything,
and I finally understood what it meant to be free.”

Bowman advocates for a deep connection with our wildness⁠—when the speaker turns back to the wolves mentioned early in the book, they find that there are only a few, that the wolves are singing instead of despairing, that they are a pack that might welcome the speaker into the fold. There is definite success in WHAT I LEARNED FROM THE TREES; it communicates an undergirding of our collective emotional experience: hurt, abandonment, the difficulties of reopening ourselves to new vulnerabilities, and the difficult practice of grounding ourselves⁠—literally⁠—in self-love.

[Reilly Ingleson · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I want to live.
Not the inhale and exhale of functioning lungs:
not the calm of a steady heartbeat.
I want laughter until I am gasping for breath.
I want hands rough nd cracked from the working and loving,
and tears that stain cheeks with both happiness an grief.
I want shoulders that are strong but unafraid to collaspse,
and a mind that is open but steady.
I want to taste wonder, and hear joy,
and feel the ache of need.
I want to be brave enough to look
at the world and see
that even during dark times
on chilled days,
in dank corners,
there is always possibility." (pg 138)

"...I made a world of myself.
Carved out my chest with my own two hands
and built a home within all the places I believed
were empty." (pg 152)

"My heart is so in pieces
that I leave it everywhere I go.
My spirit is so scattered
that you would have to destroy
the entire world
to wound me."

"They'll find me hollow inside, but not devoid of life.
Lightning-struck and split open. Fire-ravaged but
still growing.
My chest carved out to make room for anything
that might need a safe place to be.
My lungs, the night sky.
My breath, a chorus of cicadas high in the trees.
My stomach, a patch of Queen Anne's Lace
and Butterfly Weed.
My heart, the earth's steady beat.
You won't need light to see, for my cells
flicker like fireflies.
The moon shines from my throat;
the sun from my eyes.
My hands are pools of cool water
where the wild things stop to drink.

They'll find me hollow inside, but not devoid of life.
Cracked and unfolded,
whittled down by hands and teeth.
A home to more than myself--
a secret garden, a holy reprieve." (pg 186)

[Lucy-Bookworm · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m finding it difficult to review this one as it’s a bit outside of my comfort zone.
I don’t feel that the content reflected the description – the poems were generally not related to trees/nature at all & whilst I understand that they were looking at trees/tree behaviour in abstract ways (such as the example given where trees can nourish other trees by linking their roots) it seemed more like a group of poems written as therapy for the author going through a tough patch in life.
The little filler verses between the main poems appealed to me far more than the rather dull, dreary, depressing poems with ridiculously long titles like “When you can go weeks without rain, a monsoon can feel healthy. You will be floundering and still thanking the sky. You will be drowning and still swearing you can swim.” or “The quiet doesn’t come when you see your path clearly. The quiet comes when you are no longer afraid to get lost along the way”
There are some great moments, but these unfortunately do not outweigh the majority of the book which lacks cohesion and feels like a collection of random scribblings rather than a curated selection of poems.
Disclosure: I received an advance reader copy of this book free via NetGalley. Whilst thanks go to the author & publisher for the opportunity to read it, all opinions are my own.

#WhatILearnedfromtheTrees #NetGalley

[Michelle Kidwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I Learned from the Trees
by L.E. Bowman
Pub Date 21 Sep 2021
Button Poetry, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles
Health, Mind & Body | Poetry






I am reviewing a copy of What I Learned From the Trees through Button Poetry, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) and NetGalley:



What I Learned from the Trees is a collection of poetry dealing with the intricate relationship between humans and nature, and how these often overlooked, everyday interactions affect us as individuals, families, and communities.




With a backbone rooted in primordial imagery and allegory, and a focus on how the growing disconnect with our own wants, needs, and fears creates deeper divides in our relationships, this collection is very relevant to today’s society and the struggles we face with the ever-expanding detachment between humans and the natural world.



This collection of poetry makes you ask Aren’t all living creatures seeking a notable existence? A deep sense of belonging? Of relevance? Of purpose? Of love? How often do we yearn for these wants, yet fight the vulnerability it takes to reach them? Why do we so clearly seek each other, yet refuse to reach out our hands?



I give What I Learned From the Trees Four out of five stars!



Happy Reading!

[Winnie | Her Digital Coffee · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I Learned from the Trees is a collection of poems by L.E. Bowman. These poems contain a wonderful blend of humanity and nature. These pieces remind us to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us each day, everything from our relationships with others, our relationship with ourselves, and our relationship with nature.

What I Learned from the Trees is divided into three parts. Although many of these poems were thoughtful, I found myself resonating and connecting more with the poems in the third part. The poems that stuck with me are on page 111 and 115. They painted a very realistic and vivid picture of what inner healing looks like. I would recommend this book to anyone who’s looking for thoughtful pieces that dive deeper into nature, relationships, and healing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Button Poetry for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Cwellere · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book.

3 stars

This new poetry book by Bowman is a collection of reflections and musings about love, healing and nature. I had expected more poems linked to Nature itself after reading the introductory poem and was a bit disappointed that Nature is too often studied through the prism of human relationships, but it was still a very nice read.
Although I liked this book less than the first one, I think rating poems is even more subjective that rating prose. There were not as many poems in this book that resonated with me as in the previous one, but there are still many little nuggets of beautiful poetry. The force of Bowman’s work is to sprinkle little specks of lyrical magic among very mundane musings and that is the reason I will continue to follow her work.

[Habiba♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5★

It was supposed to be good cause i've a special corner for trees and poetry in my heart. But somehow the poems couldn't make feel how i should.

To be honest, most of them failed to portray the hidden meaning of it. When i started to analyze, First few poems were good. They were easy to understand, went with the flow. And The thing i liked most, is that those poems i liked has a very deep meaning. It has a essence of broken heart, aloneness. Like_

how do you expect
to understand your pain
if you never
let it speak.

or

"You're over most nights.
i tell myself it's the love, but i know it's the leaving;
you're days are numbered now.
i see it in your eyes more than anything.
Dilated. Scared.
Wild.

i feel author needs to observe more and be more diligent while sorting words.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Cavak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plenty appeals for self-awareness, vulnerability, and straight out confessional poetry on low self-esteem. At times, I felt seen by the poems wanting more love. Especially with those healing and facing an identity crisis after a toxic relationship. Can relate, yeah. Easy to read and absorb. Catchy on the ear to read aloud too.

As a whole, I feel like the nature metaphor wasn't quite as extended throughout the entire collection as was implied from the introduction. Majority of the poems felt like confessional ones. Blunt honesty without much in the way of flowery text. They don't extend far on the academic or imagery play. Several on-the-nose Instagram poems.

However, sometimes poetry thrives when the truth is stated plainly. Helps that many of them are short and focused, following a similar structure throughout. I'd be interested in reading another book of hers if I can find it.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do you ever feel like you are not the right person to judge the poetry? Poetry is a form of art and it´s open to many variations of interpretations, therefore in my opinion no one has a right to say definitely that this poem is greater than another.
I like very much the fist part of this collection of poems, where the author focuses on nature. It´s beautifully written, words are soft and frigale just like nature around us.
Sadly, later on something goes wrong. Next parts are becoming heavy, not poetic at all. It´s more like chopped prose that needs to be tidied up. There´s less nature, more humans and it´s just murky. Here and there you can find some gems, lovely phrases, but that´s not enough.

[Alison Starnes · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did my best to like this poetry book but struggled to get even halfway through.

There are a few lines and one poem that did work, but the rest just didn't resonate at all.

What definitely didn't work were the often long and rambling titles. Some of the poems were about difficult relationships, obsessive behaviour, failing to move on from people who aren't good for us, and to be honest it sometimes felt rather tedious. At other times, it read like a self-help book.

I am sorry because the author has clearly put a lot of work into this collection, but it just isn't for me I'm afraid.

This was sent to me as an ARC and I am grateful to the publisher, Button Poetry, but I won't be reading more poetry by this author.

[Sky · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book contains a few good quotes and is well written. The author knows how to use certain words to make the poem special. Though -i did not find them that much. I did not connect with them and I kept searching for a connection to the title. In the beginning there were poems I easily could connect to the nature and in the end there is the poem that gives the book its name but that was it. I did not see it in the middle part...
It is a nice book for if you need some inspirational quotes or if you like the Instagram poetry you might find in a caption because you find a lot of that in the book. It just missed the mark with me.


**Thanks to the publisher for sending me a free copy

[Deb Lernout-Banks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disclosure: I was sent this book as a free goodreads book for review

I wish I could say I loved this book. Yes, poetry is not a genre I typically gravitate to but I have read some poetry in the past that I enjoyed. There were very few poems in this book that I felt remotely connected to. When I read poetry, I want to feel emotions, and the details of the surroundings. I want the poems to make me teary or smile. A lot of the poems here felt like the writer was trying to tell me how to feel instead of leading me to feel. I felt like I was being lectured on how to live instead of experiencing moments of living.

Thank you goodreads for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

[ᥫ᭡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

What I learned from the trees is a poetry collection with some of them related to - as expected from the title - to nature. It was nothing special, nothing really stuck with me apart from a paragraph or two, but it wasn’t completely bad either. I thoguht all of the poems were going to be connected to nature in some way or another, which is not the case there are quite a few with no relation to trees or anything. It was a decent read but if it would’ve been any longer i don’t think i would’ve picked it up

[jasminks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fuck that rule of mine of not rating poetry because I really liked this, too, and want to give it stars!

Quite a few poems and lines here deeply resonated with me, and even though the whole collection didn’t, I felt I could have gladly gone on reading it forever. Bowman’s poetry is soft, vulnerable, and down-to-earth, and while much of the time it also felt pretty straightforward, there were some brilliant gems between these pages that'll stick with me for a long time.

Also, not once did I get annoyed by my own lack of understanding, so yay.

[Louise Worthington · Rating 2 out of 5]

What I Learned from the Trees is a collection of poems by L.E. Bowman which are general musings about love, life and family in free verse. I was drawn by the attractive front cover and the blurb and particularly enjoyed the last poem from which the collection takes its name. These are simple, easy to read poems with some poems having more of an obvious heme of nature than others.
Thank you to the poet and publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Belle · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's unfortunate I must echo what others have already said, but this book isn't as described. Aside from a small handful of poems littered throughout, I felt there was absolutely no connection to trees or nature whatsoever. A real pity.

I'm not sure why so many poetry books must be so dark and dreary, but this is also another of those. Not for me.

Beautiful cover.

*Free e-copy received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Aundrea Marsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve followed Lauren’s poetry on social media for awhile, feeling a deep connection with many pieces. I finally had enough spare money to pick this up and I am so grateful I did. This is real and honest poetry. This isn’t sugar-coated BS trying to sell you some new wrapped up years old BS about love and existence. This is REAL thoughts and feels that are raw and sometimes sharp, but so is life. I ordered the other book available and can’t wait to read it now.

[Briahna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was originally drawn in because of the pretty cover and intriguing title. What I Learned From Trees was not what I expected. It was real and relatable and while it wasn’t exactly my cup of tea, it was definitely a good read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gorgeous collection of well-written poetry.
I struggle with enjoying most poetry but this felt like more of a self-reflection rather than a holier-than-thou approach which is always a positive!
Gifted to a friend but was sad to part with the book. Will have to purchase my own copy to scribble in.

[Meagan Pusser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bowman is one of my favorite poets, and I really connected with this collection. There's such a tenderness in each word that made me feel seen and heard in a way that may not work for everyone, but what book truly "works" for everyone?

I could say more, and I have. I've published a full-length review here: https://www.upthestaircase.org/what-i...

[Miranda · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. I picked up this book thinking the poems would center around nature, but they mostly did not. None of the poems I read resonated with me in anyway. They felt like the author was forcing you to feel certain things and it just didn’t work for me. If you’re looking for poetry that ties into nature, this is not the book for you.

[سهيلة رمضان · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's boring.
didn't meet my expectations.
I thought it would be filled with emotions and written in a poetic touching style, but it wouldn't.
It's just scribblings, but it is not poetry or literary stuff.