Five stars because this poetry collection is beautiful. Ik I say that about every book I really really like, but this poetry is so intricately written I felt it deserved five stars. :)
Edited by Lydia Towsey, who I had the pleasure to meet at the Leicester Riverside Festival on June 4th, this poetry encapsulates the lives of 25 writers and artists in Leicester, supporting mental health charities no less.
The collection is split into sections such as 'Praise', 'The Next Poem' and 'Portrait' to name a few. There are photographs and collages, as well as pictures of the people, because there's nothing better than actually being able to see what a writer looks like. For example, until I started "following" him on Instagram, I had always imagined John Green as blond. I digress.
This poetry takes us into the raw and the ugly, the beautiful and mesmerising of the small elements that people take for granted in their own lives. I praise each and every person who took time to make this anthology. I enjoyed it and would recommend it. :)