Echoes of the Soul
by P Viras
Balboa Press


"Haunted not by death, but by the memories."

Viras has put her heart and soul into this collection of original poetry. The themes of these poems include love, religious devotion, fear, loss, grief, and the familiar journey toward peace. There are poems in which Viras thanks her parents, while another mourns the loss of a friend. No two poems are alike. For example, the fifth poem, "Make Me Free," is written as if it were from the pages of a book from the eighteenth or nineteenth century. It's reminiscent of the poems from great Romantic poets like John Keats or William Blake. Then there is poem seven, "Golden Chains," which goes back to a modern tone of writing. The words flow naturally, and nothing feels forced.

This is a well-thought-out collection of poems on relatable but hard topics. A poem should always do two things: make the reader feel and think. In Viras' case, all the t's are crossed, and the i's are dotted. Obviously, each poem will mean and feel different, but what can be agreed on is the raw emotional quality that has gone into every piece. Viras isn't afraid to show her vulnerable side to the reader. There is also no fear about making the reader uncomfortable. A good example of that goes with one of the last poems in the book, "Haunted by a Memory." Though not all of the poems are bleak, the ones that are stand out the most. The ones about love and yearning are nearly equally unforgettable. In the end, the title couldn't be any truer or more perfect for the collection.

Return to USR Home