“Unspoken Emotions” by Jayda Addleton

Unspoken Emotions

Jayda Addleton
Tellwell Talent (2023)
ISBN: 978-0228883203
Reviewed by Lily Andrews for Reader Views (04/2023)

“Unspoken Emotions” is a labyrinthine poetic mosaic by Poet Jayda Addleton that fleshes out complex intertwined themes of childhood, love, loss, anxiety, trauma, depression, eating problems, and abuse, among others. The text begins with a memorable prologue that offers striking information on the themes and subjects present in the collection. Some entries are long, such as Chasing the Time and Live in a Castle and others appear as short contemplations about life, like For my Sisters and Dr. Smile. Altogether, the diction of each jewel box varies according to the topic being discussed.

Each vignette has a good sense of cadence and correspondence of sound between words or the ending of words creating subtle rhyming such as in Was the Leap of Faith Worth It with words such as:

Here I am, lying in bed,
Wondering if I’m in your head.
Too afraid to speak,
I guess that makes me meek.
You say I don’t trust you
But you haven’t given me a reason to yet.
You make me think about when we met.
Should I have taken that leap of faith with you

Elsewhere, free verse dominates, such as in Mixed Reality where the poet intones:

So used to having an uncomfortable scenario
That when I am in a happy one, I fake my reality.
Sadly, I can’t be happy because happiness is not normal for me;
My normal is to be stressed, upset, worried, and concerned.
So, when I don’t have anything to be concerned about, I lose who I am.

Punctuated with delicate images by Jesse-Lee Brooksbank, “Unspoken Emotions” metered poetry takes on a new immediacy as the poems orbit around the vibrancy and frailty of life. Each prose poem is introduced to readers with a story behind the inspiration to write it, adding spine to the message that Poet Jada Addleton intends to pass to her readers. A key constant in her collection is the salient development in her emotions as she comes of age, sharing a child’s perspective to the introspection of a ruminative adult, a masterstroke that leaves us enlightened and more aware of our struggles and successes as well.

The poet is honest and genuine as she explores various incidences in her life, the result being a personable gala of 5-star poetry collections that are pushed on by the essence of hope and healing.

Overall, “Unspoken Emotions” by Jayda Addleton is a cultivated and approachable poetry book whose place is on the lampstand for easy retrieval to go back and dig up the nuances you may have missed in the first reading. I eagerly await the next volume of this accomplished poet.