Just Leaves

Welcome to a poet's introspective world of jubilance and turbulence, where life's cresting waves of love, grief, and rebirth collide with the profound power of poetry. In Just Leaves Lauren Best offers confessional glimpses into a deeply personal odyssey, unraveling the intricate threads of identity, creativity, and the human experience. With quirky candour, Best's immersive reflections celebrate the complexities that define us all. Bringing vibrancy to the depths of personal growth and discovery, she invites readers inwards to feel the emotional resonance of language: "we all know words are arrows / we have felt in our hearts". Through thoughtfully crafted contemplation and playful exploration, Best unveils a fierce tenderness that fuels her artistry, motherhood, and pursuit of balance in an era that craves vulnerability. While still recovering from profound loss and trauma, Best was chosen to be Owen Sound's Poet Laureate (2017-2019) and began creating the poems in this collection. As she traversed the complexities of her own life story, her tenure became a transformative exploration of self, power, and the healing force of poetry. Amidst the intoxicating inspiration and the surreal nature of being a public ambassador of poetry, she poetically grapples with her mosaic of emotions and the desire to make a meaningful impact on her community in a changing world. Exploring sound and lyrical storytelling, these poems build on her work as a musician and songwriter. The words rhythmically pulse, swaying from intellectual to sensory, yearning to be read aloud. Evocative language drips with sensual longing, entwining embodied motion and emotion both viscerally and visually. The reader enters this atmosphere as if pulled by gravity, effortlessly "trickling down my neck the / path of least / resistance". The impact of words cascades through the pages, connecting experiences across time to braid together the nostalgic past, raw and precious present, and effervescent glow of an optimistic future. Perfect for poetry enthusiasts and newcomers, especially those who find solace in the works of Anne Michaels, Mary Oliver, Kate Baer, and Rupi Kaur. Embark on an unforgettable journey guided by a distinctive Canadian voice, offering a front-row seat to savour the extraordinary and appreciate the familiar with heartfelt wonder.