Weekend Writing: Reviewing Lang Leav's "Poemsia"

"There's no way to be a poet. You can't choose it because it chooses you. Maybe your soul refracts the universe in all its complex beauty and you are a shard of light in its great hallway of mirrors. The universe calls and compels you to write poetry because with every ounce of its being, it yearns to know itself through you." - Lang Leav, "Poemisa" 

Do you dream of being a published poet? Do you write poems and mostly keep them to yourself because you're scared of critics and rejections? But despite these pressures, you still want to be a poet? It's your biggest dream? If this describes you, Lang Leav's 2019 novel, Poemsia, is the right book for you. 

The novel has a simple plot: 19-year-old Verity Wolf dreams of being a poet. Growing up in her grandfather's bookstore, she has always gravitated towards the poetry books. She lives and breathes poetry. She follows her favorite poet, Mena Rhodes, on social media, and she wonders if she will ever find success for herself. 

Her best friend, Jess, eventually persuades Verity to start sharing her poetry on Instagram. She shares a group of her poems online, but she also shares an excerpt from one of her favorite poems from a poetry collection, Poemsia. She appropriately credits that she didn't write the poem, but it gained the attention of other users, including a celebrity. 

Suddenly, Verity finds herself in the midst of the "social media poetry" and "pop culture poetry" communities. She gains a following, and she never thought this would happen. People want more of her poems and she even gets a book deal. 

This is a dream come true for Verity. But, is it everything she thought it would be? Is being a popular, famous poet everything she hoped and dreamed it would be? 

"This was my dream, and a chance like this might never come again. If I didn't grab it with both hands, I might regret it for the rest of my life. I felt a strange sensation in my stomach that tugged in both directions."

Meanwhile, Verity meets an attractive boy, Sebastian, who also loves Verity's poetry, but also the life she has at the bookstore. They immediately fall for each other, which causes problems with his childhood sweetheart and ex-girlfriend, Penelope. She hates "pop culture poetry" and she criticizes Verity's writing. She doesn't think Verity deserves any of her success. 

So, after Verity releases her poetry book and has a poetry reading in New York City, Penelope doesn't hesitate to publish a bad review about the book. She falsely accuses Verity of plagiarizing her poems, recalling how the poem from Poemsia wasn't hers. No matter how hard Verity works to rectify the situation, it's too late. Her new followers suddenly hate her. 

That wasn't Verity's dream. When she envisioned her life as a poet, she didn't think about the haters and the criticism. She didn't think about how fame would affect her life. She just thought it would be fun to be a published poet. 

For the most part, Poemsia is an important lesson about the dangers of fame. Verity wanted to be a published poet, but it came at a price. She nearly ruined her reputation, even though it wasn't her fault. Her success also affected her friendship with Jess and her future plans. It's important to follow your dreams, but it's also crucial to know what will happen after your dreams come true. 

"I shivered, thinking of what I wanted more than anything else. Underneath layers of that dream, I felt a tiny creeping ball of dread, much like the princess and the pea." 

I enjoyed the book and Leav's casual, comfortable writing style. It's easy to follow, even though the pacing is a little too fast. For example, Verity and Sebastian met and fell in love almost instantly. Verity's social media presence seemed to take off overnight. However, I still enjoyed the story and the characters. The character development is very strong in Leav's writing. 

Lang Leav's Poemsia.

Verity is a relatable, reliable narrator. You root for her, and you want her dreams to come true. She's like most poets. She has a passion for poetry, but she's also scared. She's guided by her best friend, demonstrating the power of friendships. 

The character of Mena Rhodes is clearly inspired by real-life pop culture poetry sensation Rupi Kaur. Like Rupi, Mena is a social media icon and she Verity's idol. She represents the ongoing trend of social media poetry, which is criticized by people all the time. She showcases the negative parts of fame. Verity learns that she doesn't want that lifestyle. She doesn't want to lose her special spark, and she doesn't want to ruin her relationships with Jess, Sebastian, and her grandfather. She wants to be Verity, not who the world wants her to be. 

Every writer dreams of publishing their work, but Poemsia reminds readers to stay true to themselves. It's okay to want to be famous, but don't lose sight of your passion. Don't forget why you love poetry and writing. Don't forget who you are. 

I'm thankful I learned this lesson. Read on.  

-KJL-