| Title | : | The Weights We Carry |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1800422377 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781800422377 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 66 |
| Publication | : | Published January 1, 2023 |
I started writing poems with the purpose of self-redemption. I was brought up in a place where individuality is impossible, freedom is an unimaginable dream, and self-expression is an unforgivable sin. When my world is mostly about competition, productivity, and usefulness, any form of art seems worthless. However, writing poems in a foreign language taught me to be brave to make mistakes and embrace flaws and new possibilities. I learned to let go of the hatred I held towards all the trauma in the past and learn to cure my sense of inferiority caused by the environment I grew up. I learned to appreciate all forms of beauty. And, of course, writing poems created my own freedom.
When freedom is restored, I wish for a rebirth. And this is how my passion for a solo long-distance cycling journey started. I wish to know my limits and break them. I want to face my fear and learn what braveness means. I want to unlearn every single word I have been taught and relearn them in my terms.
The photos were taken on a half-frame automatic film camera with a kind of film which had a purple-hued character. This, I believe, captures the magical atmosphere of the Scottish Highlands.
The Weights We Carry Reviews
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I received a gifted copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Literally PR.
The Weights We Carry is a short but beautiful book of poetry written and photographs taken by the author as she rode her bike across the Scottish Highlands. I loved how we got to feel the authors thoughts and emotions as she documented her journey through poetry and photography as she went along. Each poem is a personal piece of the authors journey, mind and emotions, and you could feel this through each poem along the way. I'm so glad the photographs were added as these completed a beautiful experience. -
The author takes us on a wonderful adventure exploring the Scottish highlands and Orkney Islands. She delicately documents her solo bike- packing experiences through poetry. The full all round trip is a total distance of 658 miles (1058.95 kilometers) over 46 long days where she mostly camps out in the wild!
She is free as a bird and writes poetry as she goes. We get a very intimate insight into what the author was feeling and thinking at various points throughout the journey. The poems are like a snapshot in time, the whole world stops as the author pours out her most precious and intimate thoughts.
Reading through the poems here and looking at the beautiful pictures that compliment them was a very powerful, insightful, inspiring, meaningful, atmospheric and somewhat magical experience, it was like being able to take a peek inside the author's head!
This really is a very beautiful book and well deserving of the five stars I am giving it! Some of my favorite poems included were ‘Volition’, ‘History’ and also ‘Metamorphosis’.
5 Stars -
The Weights We Carry by C.D. Seventeen is a collection of 22 poems and photographs from her solo bike-packing journey around the Scottish Highlands and the Orkney Islands.
Thank you to Literally PR and SilverWood Books for sending me a free copy of The Weights We Carry in return for an honest review.
The Weights We Carry is not being produced as an eBook. It isn’t going to be sold on Amazon. C.D. Seventeen will remain true to her original purpose and wants to encourage everyone to get off social media, off their chair, and out into the outdoors. To challenge themselves, make mistakes, embrace flaws and explore new possibilities. The book is available via selected retailers online (such as Central Books and Blackwells) and of course in Scotland, as well as locations globally. Published by SilverWood Books.
As soon as I heard the premise about The Weights We Carry, I requested a copy to review, and I’m so glad I did. Originally I thought that C.D. Seventeen had ridden a motorbike across Scotland, but she actually was on a bicycle – which makes her journey even more remarkable.
This book is filled with beautiful photographs that accompany each of the poems. The photographs were taken on a film camera with a film that had a purple-tint to it, and this is reproduced in the book. This tint to the photos gives them all a nostalgic filter, like Polaroid pictures, which I really liked and they add a lot to the feel of the poems.
The poems are split into various sections that have different themes, following her journey around Scotland. They are all really evocative and personal, like reading a diary, with interesting themes and thought-provoking questions, such as ‘how much do I deserve to relax?’. Themes cover romance, pollution, religion, and more.
My favourite was Farewell, about leaving a loved one behind, I guess at the start of her travels:
Sorry, I had to leave you to create my own history,
where you could sing my lines and laugh at my mysteries.
I wish you and I had a living thing,
so what bonded us what not just love but responsibilities.
Since I’m used to feeling that weight with all my senses.
I really enjoyed this collection – it is a really personal and unique collection of photos and poetry, heavy with memories and emotions. Reading it on a rainy April day gave it the perfect atmosphere. -
A stunning and insightful poetry collection that were very well written. I normally write poetry and dont really read them but im so glad i did. The illustrations were lovely and really complimented the poems and brought them to life even more.Worth a read
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What I liked about C. D. Seventeen, is she writes her poetry with colourful emotions. She sees verses as musical cords, with feelings.
This is a poetry collection of her first long distance solo bike trip in the Scottish Highlands. Twenty two poems were selected from the draft.
What I particularly liked is where each poem is paired with a photo of the view that she see along on her journey when she was writing down his poetry.
The photos that are on each page show how she captured the magical atmosphere of the Scottish Highlands, with a poem complementing all of the photos he took. One of the poems I enjoyed reading
Tragedies
I don’t want to get soaked,
afraid of the bike slipping sideways,
cars riding across my broken body.
I don’t want to tell jokes,
afraid my words bypassing my cortex,
people knowing my darkened desire.
I don’t want to turn it down!
Afraid of missing out on gory years,
waking up to the same dish every single morning.
Another poem from the book.
Redemption Leave me!
When the ocean stops pouring humid tears.
I swear the cloudy air stirred up some fundamental fears.
Would I disappear into the wind,
undoing my ego identity built up in the urban fairs?
Till I met these boys,
recalling the joy of my teenage years.
Once there was no answer to who I wish to be,
I could sit on the floor instead of chairs. -
This is a thought provoking collection of 22 poems which give an insight into what the author was feeling at certain points on her travels . Each one is a short moment in time that has you stopping and thinking about the thoughts, views and processes that take place before it is written down on paper as a memory of a time and a place in a beautiful , haunting landscape.
These poems should be read, and thought about, individually. Each one a whole in it's own right and not to be rushed and skimmed over. Take time over the photographs and allow yourself to think about the landscape, the church, the people , the road you find yourself looking at
Read, digest and picture the landscape and above all else keep this little book handy to pick up and read individual poems at random. -
Thank you @CDSeventeen and @literallypr for being part of this tour and reviewing this book. The Weights We Carry is beautiful poetry about a journey around the Scottish Islands. I enjoyed reading these poems and my favourites are Intentions, Hope, Heroism and Curses. I love the pictures and watercolour swirls they are beautiful and work well with the poems .5 stars. This is the first book of poems I have read by C. D. Seventeen but I definitely will read more in the future. All the beautifully written poems were heartwarming. The Weights we carry is a poetry book you can keep coming back to over-time.
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Solo walking is one of my favourite things to do when I'm not working, I try to go at least once a week and ideally somewhere I've never been before. I love, love, love Riding Out by Simon Parker. I'm not a cyclist. The closest I get to cycling is at Center Parcs. I'm not much of a camper either - I have a campervan and a bell tent, and that's as close to wild camping as you'll find me. BUT, I absolutely LOVE The Weights We Carry by C.D. Seventeen and all it represents: Freedom, Expression, Adventure, Testing Yourself, Growth, Experimentation, Energy. Because the author spent 46 days cycling and wild camping around the Scottish Highlands and the Orkney Islands, on her own, and was so inspired by her time, experiences, the nature, setting and beauty of the area, and the people she met, that she created a series of poems. These poems form half of the book - the other half consists of the most beautiful, vivid, magical photos taken throughout her adventure. C.D. Seventeen is such a bold writer - she's Chinese and writes in English, she writes authentically and honestly. Her writing honestly makes me feel like heading off on my next solo adventure - and to be as brave and bold as she is.
Food pairing recommendation: Cullen Skink - classic Scottish soup with smoked haddock, potatoes and leek - the sort of warming food I bet C.D. Seventeen craved at times during her adventure!
Drinks pairing recommendation: Laphroaig Scotch Whisky of course @Laphroaig