Drawn to Feel by Irish A.D.

Drawn to Feel

Irish A.D.

Balboa Press (2023)

979-8765244739

Reviewed by Jordan Waterwash for Reader Views (09/2025)

https://readerviews.com/reviews/drawn-to-feel-a-d/

4/5

Drawn to Feel by Irish A.D. is a collection of poetry and short essays centered on themes like grief, love, and awareness. Through each poem, the reader gains an understanding of how A.D. processed the grief of suddenly losing her partner, as well as her father. That understanding leads to inner reflection, self-awareness, and knowing how grief can often propel us into action when we least expect it.

In the opening chapters, A.D. mentions wanting the reader to draw their own conclusions about each of the poems in the collection. Alongside that, A.D. also includes short essays that explain her intention behind each poem. This felt unique for a poetry collection. I enjoyed how A.D. encouraged readers to come up with their own meaning for each poem, but still offered her own interpretation to open up a conversation between her and the reader. Poetry can isolate the reader from the poet because it can be so personal and esoteric, but this felt more grounded.

Before the poetry, A.D. includes inspirational quotes for the reader to ponder. These quotes are also accompanied by statements of intention. These quotes often centered on high-level concepts like gratitude, awareness, and love.

In addition to the personal essays of intention, there were several short stories near the end of the collection. While the poems offered a more creative approach to the topics of grief and self-awareness, the short stories felt more like diary entries. For readers who enjoy the stream-of-consciousness style, the short stories will provide an engaging addition to the collection. A closer copy edit might have been beneficial, but overall the prose was heartfelt and emotional. The personal essays and short stories also had a heavy theme of spirituality throughout, namely in regards to Eastern philosophies. The writer included a list of recommended reading for those who want to learn more about that topic.

All in all, Drawn to Feel delves into the hard topic of grief with compassion and understanding. It’s clear Irish A.D. spent a lot of time and energy writing this book, and it shows on every page. Grief can be hard to navigate alone, but A.D. provides the reader with a much needed companion through the pain.