Advanced Review of Blossom and Bone, Nicole Lyons

When the very first poem causes you to sit back in your seat and admire the sky through the window, smiling because you have been blissfully reminded how much raw beauty and strength rests in the voices of others, you know you’re about to read one hell of a book. The beginning of Blossom and Bone is exactly as it should be. Lyons’ voice – unafraid and honest – is introduced perfectly and then she unfolds.

Lyons unfolds like wings from a chrysalis, like freshly washed bed sheets, like dirty, crumpled bed sheets, like dog-eared pages, like kept loved letters, like a tongue in a lover’s mouth, like your wildest dreams. No stone is left unturned as Lyons’ poetry delves deeper into the poet and the reader. I found myself reminiscing throughout the entire book; reminiscing about heartbreak, heartache, love, friendship, freedom, loss, sanity, insanity, the nights I’ve spent alone…