Old Monarch: Poems

Old Monarch: Poems

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  • Create Date:2021-05-11 10:51:02
  • Update Date:2025-09-06
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Courtney Marie Andrews
  • ISBN:1524865621
  • Environment:PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Summary

Some people are like monarch butterflies—solitary by nature, on a passionate search for somewhere。 Critically acclaimed songwriter Courtney Marie Andrews presents her first poetry collection。

This poetry collection reads like a transformation, me, the narrator, being the figurative Old Monarch。 Documenting this journey, the book is separated into three sections, "Sonoran Milkweed," "Longing In Flight," and "Eucalyptus Tree (My Arrival to Rest)。"

In the first stage of my journey, I explore my childhood in Arizona, and the naive assumptions of youth。 At this stage in my journey, I am impressionable, seeing the world with all its nuances for the first time。 Through the landscape of the Sonoran Desert, I explore some dark family dynamics and what a child sees。 Several characters turn up in the early poems including my cowboy grandpa, and the single mother who raised me, despite many forthcomings。 The early poems also explore my desire to see a brighter world of possibility beyond the dusty desert island, and see humans more clearly within the confounds of discovery。

In the second stage, I have left home。 I am falling in love for the first time, as I become a young woman。

Finally, the last stage is the old monarch's arrival to the garden。 There are a lot of metaphysical and philosophical poems in this section。 I arrive at the figurative garden, and I finally understand the journey at the edge of my life。 There are a lot of poems in the context of a garden here, accepting mortality and the ever-changing world。 These are meant to be wise old woman poems。
 

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Reviews

Anna T。 (despasurlesable)

I would like to thank the publisher of Old Monarch for providing me for an Advanced Reader Copy through NetGalley。I enjoyed reading this poetry collection。 The poems were beautiful, covering a variety of topics。 Even though they didn't resonate with me, I appreciated the imagery。 A few of my favourite poems were: " Calculated Magic", "Reasons", "The Bridge", "The houses we build"。 I would like to thank the publisher of Old Monarch for providing me for an Advanced Reader Copy through NetGalley。I enjoyed reading this poetry collection。 The poems were beautiful, covering a variety of topics。 Even though they didn't resonate with me, I appreciated the imagery。 A few of my favourite poems were: " Calculated Magic", "Reasons", "The Bridge", "The houses we build"。 。。。more

Eric Susak

Old Monarch is probably best read on the road, sitting on a bench in a park you've never been to or looking over empty plains when you pull of the highway just to breath deep and stretch your legs。 There is no place you have to be, and no destination you will not skip, if only to see how you fit in that place for a moment。I could tell that the things Courtney Marie Andrews writes about are things she loves。 Even in the sorrow, she cares about that experience because it meant she was alive in tha Old Monarch is probably best read on the road, sitting on a bench in a park you've never been to or looking over empty plains when you pull of the highway just to breath deep and stretch your legs。 There is no place you have to be, and no destination you will not skip, if only to see how you fit in that place for a moment。I could tell that the things Courtney Marie Andrews writes about are things she loves。 Even in the sorrow, she cares about that experience because it meant she was alive in that memory。 。。。more

Alison

This book got me back into poetry! It was so beautifully written and hearing the author read her own poetry really brought me into her poetry more。 Her storytelling in her poetry was absolutely flawless and I can honestly say that this book just brought me back into my love of poetry!Favorite poems: Gratitude for Blue, Mother on the Lawn and Watercolor Easiest 5/5 I’ve ever given a book!

Panos

This is an okay poetry collection。 I don't feel very strongly about it and I don't have much to say。 Loved the narration。 I felt some of the poems were not that good but there were some AMAZING ones like : In Small Moments, The Houses We Build and If I Were a Painter。 This is an okay poetry collection。 I don't feel very strongly about it and I don't have much to say。 Loved the narration。 I felt some of the poems were not that good but there were some AMAZING ones like : In Small Moments, The Houses We Build and If I Were a Painter。 。。。more

Dominika

Thank you loads to Net Galley for an ARC of CM Andrews' Old Monarch in exchange of an honest review!Getting into this one was so so easy。 I put my headphones on and suddenly I was transported into a world full of children, country music, scraped knees, and never-ending friendships。 Unsure whether this was the author's intention, but I loved it。 Her narration was so raw and so elegant in the combination of words that she used so that it felt like a blanket of wildflowers spread around me。Old Mona Thank you loads to Net Galley for an ARC of CM Andrews' Old Monarch in exchange of an honest review!Getting into this one was so so easy。 I put my headphones on and suddenly I was transported into a world full of children, country music, scraped knees, and never-ending friendships。 Unsure whether this was the author's intention, but I loved it。 Her narration was so raw and so elegant in the combination of words that she used so that it felt like a blanket of wildflowers spread around me。Old Monarch was my first poetry audiobook and it set the bar very high for the next ones。 In addition to this one, I have been listening to Great Expectations。 It was a relief to let that one go and get lost within Andrews' harmonic voice。 The form was very pleasant as well and with the occasional music even quite original。 One star down for my getting a bit lost in between the poems。 I'm not sure whether it was simply my not being used to audio poem collections but I think that played some role for me。 Would love to get back to a physical copy of this one in some time! 。。。more

Kayla - the。bookish。mama

I really enjoyed this collection overall。 I like the way that it is broken into three sections, symbolizing three separate times in life。 You could feel the tone change with each, and almost how the reflection on certain situations had changed a bit; maybe a bit of a softer approach or with more conviction。 Many of the poems that were personal favorites were in the second and last sections。 One of my favorite aspects of this read is the way that the author weaves in nature and natural elements s I really enjoyed this collection overall。 I like the way that it is broken into three sections, symbolizing three separate times in life。 You could feel the tone change with each, and almost how the reflection on certain situations had changed a bit; maybe a bit of a softer approach or with more conviction。 Many of the poems that were personal favorites were in the second and last sections。 One of my favorite aspects of this read is the way that the author weaves in nature and natural elements so effortlessly with her own life experiences。 This one also felt like a bit of a memoir in verse - and I’m not mad about it。 And it might sound weird, but I love the texture of this cover, and the pages。 Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Nicki White

I just couldn’t find a connection to the feelings in which the author was trying to convey。 I knew what the emotion was but just didn’t feel the emotions through the words。

Erin Flanagan

I love this collectionBeautiful, poems seem older and “established”One to keep rereading。 Also, musician who has lovely written and sounding music。

Kaitlin

Beautiful book of poems, dealing with a variety of topics, but focusing quite a bit on a relationship。 Quick but good read。I received a copy from Netgalley。 All opinions are my own。

Cody Roecker

I really enjoyed a lot of this audio!

Millie ✨

provided by netgalley

Justine

Filled with beautiful imagery, this book of poetry starts strong, however I felt very hard to connect to it。 Some situations were very personal and therefore hard to sympathise with。 I enjoyed the landscape and sediments but it did feel slightly overwritten。   I enjoyed the music within this audiobook, Adrews performance was very soothing and overall a very enjoyable journey。 A special thank you to Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for an ARC of this poetry collection。 

Lauralai

Here are my favourites: The Silver Lining of Suffering Human Imagination If I Were a Painter Morning Meditation Modern Nostradamus

Stacy

I received an audio ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion。In Old Monarch, songwriter Courtney Marie Andrews gives us her first collection of poetry。 She narrates the audiobook herself, which I always enjoy so that we can hear the tone the author intended。 These are love poems with a nature theme。 I would recommend this book to those who enjoy poetry, love stories, and nature。 I'm glad I listened to this audiobook, but I didn't connect personally with most of the I received an audio ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion。In Old Monarch, songwriter Courtney Marie Andrews gives us her first collection of poetry。 She narrates the audiobook herself, which I always enjoy so that we can hear the tone the author intended。 These are love poems with a nature theme。 I would recommend this book to those who enjoy poetry, love stories, and nature。 I'm glad I listened to this audiobook, but I didn't connect personally with most of the poems, so I probably wouldn't read this collection again。 I did enjoy the background music included at places in the audiobook! 。。。more

Noura

I listened to the audiobook and it was amazing。 The narration and music were so soothing。

Timber Oaks Little Library

This is something special。 I had to listen to it twice to fully take it in。 It is evocative, and deeply personal。 It is inspiring and relatable。 Courtney Marie's voice is a dream, and her words will nestle in your soul。 Everything I want from a poetry collection。The first Monarch Mantra really spoke to me:"Do not spend all your joy in one place。This is only the beginningThere will be many places yet"。Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the ARC。 This is something special。 I had to listen to it twice to fully take it in。 It is evocative, and deeply personal。 It is inspiring and relatable。 Courtney Marie's voice is a dream, and her words will nestle in your soul。 Everything I want from a poetry collection。The first Monarch Mantra really spoke to me:"Do not spend all your joy in one place。This is only the beginningThere will be many places yet"。Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the ARC。 。。。more

John Mills

Read the audiobook, the performance of Andrews is absolutely beautiful。 Punctuated with sparse and beautiful guitar Andrews recites her own poetry with the emotion that it deserves。 As a massive fan of her music I was excited to see her talent for words expressed in another medium。 Thoughtful and poignant with a focus on introspection。

Emily Miller

Courtney Marie Andrews is one of my favorite contemporary singer-songwriters。 I was incredibly excited for her poetry collection to come out and I preordered it back in February。 I was expecting to like it a little more than I did, although there were some that really struck a cord (listed at end)。 With that said, much of it was pleasant but nothing special, hence the 3 star rating。 Will continue to love and support her!Favorites: Regarding Nostalgia, Young Blood Hill, Saying Goodbye, Point of V Courtney Marie Andrews is one of my favorite contemporary singer-songwriters。 I was incredibly excited for her poetry collection to come out and I preordered it back in February。 I was expecting to like it a little more than I did, although there were some that really struck a cord (listed at end)。 With that said, much of it was pleasant but nothing special, hence the 3 star rating。 Will continue to love and support her!Favorites: Regarding Nostalgia, Young Blood Hill, Saying Goodbye, Point of View, The Houses We Build 。。。more

Michelle McGrane

‘Old Monarch’ is acclaimed Grammy nominee singer-songwriter Courtney Marie Andrews’ debut poetry collection。 Andrews is the title’s old monarch and the three sections of the volume follow her transformations。‘Sonoran Milkweed’ is a bittersweet, nostalgic exploration of her childhood set against magenta sunsets and Phoenix’s vast desert sky。 Several characters feature in the earlier poems: Her cowboy grandfather who saddles his favourite mustang, Pride, and gallops off to Love’s truck stop bar; a ‘Old Monarch’ is acclaimed Grammy nominee singer-songwriter Courtney Marie Andrews’ debut poetry collection。 Andrews is the title’s old monarch and the three sections of the volume follow her transformations。‘Sonoran Milkweed’ is a bittersweet, nostalgic exploration of her childhood set against magenta sunsets and Phoenix’s vast desert sky。 Several characters feature in the earlier poems: Her cowboy grandfather who saddles his favourite mustang, Pride, and gallops off to Love’s truck stop bar; a grandmother who committed suicide; her single mother with crow’s eyes and a Muttley laugh from smoking Camels, and the ghost of a friend。 She describes: ‘Eyes toward the stars, yearning/ for what lay beyond the fence’。‘I ran from home, the drab depression/ imagining an escape from the oppression/ into the arms of big ideas。’ As she becomes a young woman and leaves home, ‘Longing in Flight’ traverses the territory of falling in love for the first time and the end of relationships。 “We are more resilient than we know。/ I, too, will live through horrible sorrow/ and live to tell you in a dimly lit bar, laughing。”The third part, ‘Eucalyptus Tree (My Arrival to Rest)’ describes Andrews’ arrival in a garden of rest, where through personal growth and hard learned wisdom she accepts the cycle of life, the inevitability of mortality and the constant changes throughout her life and the world。 “I am slowing toward the meadow, where there is nothing/ but monarchs on milkweed, a rising river flowing toward/ a land of afters。 I will lay my tired body down in gracious/ grasses of gratitude。 Once I arrive at the meadow in my mind/ I can make it another day on earth。” There’s something in these poems that I can only call ‘detailed intimacy’ and ‘closely-worked humanity’。 This collection is rewarding on all levels — there is wit, rich imagery and some serious thinking。 Highly recommended。A huge thank you to @NetGalley and @AndrewsMcMeel for an ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Nektaria

*I received an eARC from the publisher via Netgalley (thank you so much) in exchange for an honest review*Oh my, I just finished the best poetry collection I've read in a while and my heart is so happy! It's been a while since I've appreciated a collection of modern poetry so much!I don't even know how to put it into words; it waa gorgeous, absolutely beautiful。 I enjoyed some poems more than others, of course, my favourites being: Once in a Lifetime, Sisters Under The Pink Moon, Small Ships, Th *I received an eARC from the publisher via Netgalley (thank you so much) in exchange for an honest review*Oh my, I just finished the best poetry collection I've read in a while and my heart is so happy! It's been a while since I've appreciated a collection of modern poetry so much!I don't even know how to put it into words; it waa gorgeous, absolutely beautiful。 I enjoyed some poems more than others, of course, my favourites being: Once in a Lifetime, Sisters Under The Pink Moon, Small Ships, The Silver Lining of Suffering, Regarding Nostalgia, Prisoner of Her Time, Resilience, Saying Goodbye, Nantucket Midnight Storm, Cure for Apathy and If You're Lucky! (I know that's a lot of them, but I couldn't pick any less, all these are the ones with the most enchanting lyrics for me)。I loved the emotions of bittersweet nostalgia, consoling melancholy, appreciation of childhood, the dive into memories! So beautiful! I especially adored how vividly these poems shaped images in my head, familiar ones。 How it presented simple, everyday moments and showed the need to cherish them by putting them in beautiful lyrics。 I felt very touched!This poetry collection truly made me feel so calm inside and put a spell on me! Very beautiful! 。。。more

Selected Prose

I received an advance copy of Old Monarch before an interview I conducted with Courtney Marie Andrews。 Old Monarch is a wonderful collection of poems from someone with the courage to examine themselves and their past with an honest and exacting eye。 The collection is drenched in the mystery of the and memory and longing and pain and love。 Imagine if Mary Oliver took her walks in the Sonoran instead of Ohio or New England。 Some of these poems are classics—rhythmic, deeply moving, observant, and w I received an advance copy of Old Monarch before an interview I conducted with Courtney Marie Andrews。 Old Monarch is a wonderful collection of poems from someone with the courage to examine themselves and their past with an honest and exacting eye。 The collection is drenched in the mystery of the and memory and longing and pain and love。 Imagine if Mary Oliver took her walks in the Sonoran instead of Ohio or New England。 Some of these poems are classics—rhythmic, deeply moving, observant, and wise。 I've marked mine all over and will certainly reread in the near future。 I'm looking forward to her future not only as a songwriter but as a poet。 。。。more

Erica

Courtney Marie Andrews has such a way of writing lush, descriptive scenes that made the poems so vivid in the mind's eye。 I could so clearly see the mid-west country side, and feel the nostalgia on every page。 With that said, I just don't think that this collection was for me。 I couldn't quite feel the rhythm in the poems, and sometimes it felt like essays with poetry-like line breaks。 Post reading this, I learned that Andrews is a singer-songwriter, and I think that her fans should definitely c Courtney Marie Andrews has such a way of writing lush, descriptive scenes that made the poems so vivid in the mind's eye。 I could so clearly see the mid-west country side, and feel the nostalgia on every page。 With that said, I just don't think that this collection was for me。 I couldn't quite feel the rhythm in the poems, and sometimes it felt like essays with poetry-like line breaks。 Post reading this, I learned that Andrews is a singer-songwriter, and I think that her fans should definitely check this collection out (as I imagine there are shared themes with her music and poetry。) 。。。more

Tanya López

This collection was absolutely beautiful and i wasn’t even a tiny bit surprised when I learned that the poet is also a songwriter。 My favorite poem was In Small Moments and overall this collection was sweet, deep, and emotional。 I’m hoping to buy a physical copy in stores when it comes out。 Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。

Brianna

I enjoyed this poetry collection。 I felt like I could grasp a narrative running through it, and I appreciated the visuals and song-like quality of the poems。 My favorites were: The Houses We Build, Saying Goodbye, and In Small Moments。*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review。

Jude

I was provided an ARC of this book by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review。This poetry collection begins very strongly, with a poem about birth itself, which the author compares to a window。 It’s simple yet elegant, and it aptly begins a trajectory through different stages in the author’s life, separated into three sections, roughly three stages towards maturing into the person she is today。Some poems were rich in unique imagery, such as “A Year of Valentine’s Days”, whic I was provided an ARC of this book by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review。This poetry collection begins very strongly, with a poem about birth itself, which the author compares to a window。 It’s simple yet elegant, and it aptly begins a trajectory through different stages in the author’s life, separated into three sections, roughly three stages towards maturing into the person she is today。Some poems were rich in unique imagery, such as “A Year of Valentine’s Days”, which begins with these wonderful lines: A bloated red moon floats over the Sedona。The universe is handing me a rose。However, I felt like a lot of poems were weighed down by too much abstract language, which kept me at a distance。 Some emotions and situations were highly personal and thus too specific for me to connect to, but the use of language that expressed these feelings in concepts as opposed to tangible feelings that a reader could relate to did not help。Other poems were disappointingly simple, such as “Reasons”:You loved mewhen I was emptyuntil I needed youin unhealthy ways。This is why I mustget my fill alone。While this sentiment is important and absolutely worth writing about, I don’t personally enjoy it when feelings are so clearly and directly stated in poetry。 It makes it seem as though the feeling was processed and analyzed too much before it was put into words, and when it feels too “figured out”, the reader doesn’t get to meet the poet halfway。One thing I found confusing was the mention of a lot of American locations, from the Arizona desert to Nantucket。 At first, the places and states mentioned were all in the same area, so the landscape and imagery was pretty similar, but then it started moving out further and further, all the way to Europe and then back, and I felt like this hurt the cohesion of the collection。All in all, there is some beautiful imagery in this collection, and some touching sentiments were expressed, but I also found parts of it a bit overwritten and distant。 。。。more

Alisa

I went into this knowing that Courtney Marie Andrews is a singer。 But imagine my surprise when I go to google her and find out that she is a back vocalist in one of my all-time favorite songs, Invented by Jimmy Eat World。 Loved that song for a decade and still didn't know who is featured in it lol。 But of course it made so excited to read her poetry collection。 And I was not disappointed, I ended up really liking this。 In a lot of modern poetry collections the poems themselves consist of a few l I went into this knowing that Courtney Marie Andrews is a singer。 But imagine my surprise when I go to google her and find out that she is a back vocalist in one of my all-time favorite songs, Invented by Jimmy Eat World。 Loved that song for a decade and still didn't know who is featured in it lol。 But of course it made so excited to read her poetry collection。 And I was not disappointed, I ended up really liking this。 In a lot of modern poetry collections the poems themselves consist of a few lines and they tell of something abstract。 I've read those, you've probably read those。 But not this collection。 Andrews's poems are meatier, more grounded。 They gave a great sense of place and nature。 The imagery is easy to picture, but don't get me wrong, there are still many beautiful lines that I wanted to highlight。 My favorite poems are: Before it all, Song infidelity, Dear dreams (very short, but evoked strong emotions), Human imagination, In small moments, Master of denial, If you are lucky。 Old Monarch was a beautiful poetry collection and I will be looking forward to what Courtney Marie Andrews puts out next。 P。S。 since finishing this I've been listening to Invented over and over and I am having a blast。Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more