I never considered myself a poetry reader. That changed when I stumbled upon a poem by In-Q, Goldfish, while reading Your Brain on Art. Suddenly, poetry was beyond words. It was an emotion captured so vividly it took my breath away. I was amazed at how deeply a few carefully chosen phrases could speak directly to my heart, resonating profoundly with thoughts I’d never managed to express myself. It felt as if In-Q had gently tapped into my mind, bringing my unspoken feelings vividly to life.

Curious, I looked him up on Goodreads and was thrilled to find that he had his own poetry book, Inquire Within, with high ratings and glowing reviews. Without hesitation, I picked up a copy, and it did not disappoint. Every page was a mesmerizing experience, filled with words that resonated deeply.

Even if you don’t typically read poetry, like me, I truly believe this book is worth exploring. It has the power to make you feel, reflect, and see the world differently. Thanks to In-Q, I now find myself craving more poetry and will definitely be spending more time in the poetry section at the bookstore.

Below, I’ve highlighted some poems that stood out to me, ones that sparked something special.

My Favorite Bits

Defining myself is like confining myself

So I undefined myself

To find myself

In-Q, Inquire Within

Growing up is about learning

then unlearning

everything we’ve learned

It’s about constructing

then deconstructing

who we are at every turn

In-Q, Inquire Within

I was working for a living

But it wasn’t working

‘Cause I wasn’t living

And a life without living is unfulfilling

Filling up the empty space with all the things I was getting

Yet I could never get enough, or give enough, to be enough

And that was constantly upsetting

In-Q, Inquire Within

Community is what our culture’s lacking

We pretend to be connected, but mostly it’s just unscripted acting

We isolate ourselves and hide from our emotions

The pack our schedules as an excuse to stay in motion

I’m living by the beach and yet I never see the ocean

It’s always out of reach in the midst of commotion

God forbid I’d have to sit alone without distraction

It’s tough to notice thoughts when we’re constantly in action

No matter what your status is, that isn’t satisfaction

So I don’t only care what you do I care what you’re doing it with passion

In-Q, Inquire Within

The only thing I know

Is that we’re all in this together

And the future of this earth

Depends on how we treat each other

Starts with how we treat ourselves

And how we treat ourselves

Starts with how we see ourselves

And how we see ourselves starts with context

Nothing can exist without its opposite

In-Q, Inquire Within

They say the difference between

Intelligence and wisdom is experience

But you can have experience

Without having wisdom or intelligence

In-Q, Inquire Within

It’s not enough

To make my dreams come true

I wanna enjoy them as I do

‘Cause you can climb

The highest mountaintop

And never change your view

In-Q, Inquire Within

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Author: In-Q

Publication date: 31 March 2020

Number of pages: 224 pages

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