Swimming Lessons: Poems

Lili is so raw and honest in her poetry. Her rhythm and rhyme are so enticing. I've been writing poetry for several years, and I love when I can connect with someone else's words and feel something. Words are so powerful because pain is universal, as is love. We are all human. I, too, battle with depression and anxiety. It's hard to function with change and constant worry, but poetry is a way to understand the pain and to connect. Poetry is a vulnerable art. It involves showing the world our wounds, and I'm glad Lili chose to share her mind and emotions with the world. There are so many lines where I stop and re-read the words because they are so addicting. "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. I'm able to analyze my subconscious and unravel why certain phrases impact me so much. "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. Anxiety, for me, makes it difficult for me to function properly. It's easier for me to want to shut down-- and I accidentally shut out those around me. With Lili's collection of poetry, I really enjoy the different moods from poem to poem. Will the next page make me feel passion or heartache, happiness or loneliness? To me, this shows how emotions change so quickly. One trigger or one event, one word even, can alter our perception and change our mood completely. 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. On page 67, she says, "I keep reminding myself that we are not feeling the same things. You said so yourself, I'm more invested than you are." She continues, "I'm sitting miles from you, it seems." I feel her pain in being a poet, an analyzer of everything. As poets, we are passionate and invested. For me, I need constant reassurance, or I'll feel a sense of impending doom, and, for me, it's hard to keep people around because my emotions are so intense. She continues, "And that's what hurts the most. Feeling this alone." The word "alone," whether I'm writing a poem of my own or reading it in text, digs a hole of loneliness and heartache in my chest. Lili finds the perfect combination of words and phrases to take me on a journey of self- discovery and of human understanding. Though the pain can seem unbearable sometimes, we are not alone. We are all fighting battles, and by sharing our pain, though difficult sometimes, it can help us see that we aren't as alone as we make ourselves believe.

I love how raw and real this poetry book is. Lili isn't trying to be anyone else; it's authentic and the poems are so personal I feel like I'm invading, but also as if I'm being invaded because I relate so much. Can't forget to mention the gorgeous aesthetic of the book, its just a great collection of work!! People who are leaving bad reviews because it's "not what they expected" shouldn't be reading poetry. Poetry is about surpassing what expectations even are, it's about expressing oneself in any way they choose. Lili captures heartbreak, betrayal, loss, love, and so much more so authentically and beautifully. I'm beyond happy with my purchase and the book was well worth the wait.

Beautiful book I bought for my daughter, she struggles with depression and anxiety and ofc , has been through heartbreak like most of us and could really relate to the book so that's lovely 1000/ 10 would recommend

This is one of my favorite poetry books and would totally recommend reading!

This book was like peering into someone else’s brain and seeing my own thoughts. I couldn’t put it down and read it all in one day. Reinhart covers love, relationships, mental health, and the fleeting nature of life. This is a book I’ll be coming back to again and again! Is there anything Lili Reinhart can’t do?

Just want to mention that with my personal reading style in regards to poetry, I base my overall thoughts on how deeply I resonate with the poems, how I feel the poems connect to one another (the flow for lack of a better word), and lastly, the physical layout of the words. I do not focus much on the linguistics of the collection. I remember first hearing that Lili was going to publish a collection of poetry and getting quite excited. I'm a fan of hers (yes, due in part to Riverdale), though also because of her advocacy for body positivity and mental health. As a first collection, I really enjoyed gliding through this. The entire book took me maybe 30 to 45 minutes at most (wasn't keeping track of time) and it was time well spent. This collection primarily revolves around the highs and lows of being in love, self-identity in relationships, and a bit of the aftermath. I do wish more poems centered on various observations surrounding life (not relationship-centered) and self-acceptance/love were included. There's definitely a time and a place to critique an author's poetry in a technical and linguistic sense, though that's not really up my alley. I believe the prose was meaningful and simple without trying too hard to be "deep" as some authors do. I enjoyed it so that the only reason it's 4 stars is that I wish it was longer (not really a con, I guess). Overall, a smooth, sentimental read. I look forward to the author's future collections. Rating: 4/5 stars.

I only received the book today but could not put it down. The poems felt incredibly relatable. While I am a few years older than Lili, reading this brought me back to a time of previous relationships that were painful and forced me to grow, but naturally, still had very special and deeply important moments. It made me feel as though I was almost there, reliving parts of them. Highly recommend.

Lili’s words command attention. The way they flow and tell a story with such grace is very impressive. At the same time, they also pack a punch straight to the heart. I can’t wait to finish reading through all of the poems. Absolutely love what I’ve read so far, and am so happy for her as she begins her journey as an author.