This month, the month of April is National Poetry Month! Poetry has been an ever-changing art form, and now there are more and more poets publishing their books these days. The most recent and most exciting release being Neil Hilborn’s "The Future". This collection is the follow-up to Neil’s debut collection called "Our Numbered Days."
Neil is currently one of the most recognizable poets on the internet, with both of his poems “OCD” and “The Future” having a combined total of 125 million views.
Neil has always been a favorite poet of mine. I had the absolute privilege of seeing Neil perform live during his book tour. At the event, I also managed to get the book early as well, so I’ve had plenty of time to digest this book in its entirety.
Let me tell you; this book is worth every penny.
Part of me was afraid that this book wouldn’t live up to "Our Numbered Days", but I was mistaken. Neil’s humor and his insight are still powerful and hard-hitting. It's to the point where I'm crying curled up in a blanket because someone finally understands what's going on with me. This book already has gotten me through some of the hardest times I've faced in my life. I'm sure it's going to help me get through a lot more. I'm also sure this book is going to help a lot of people get through a lot of hard times.
Hilborn has this way of making you laugh at one poem and bringing you to tears with the next. He packs the same amount of emotion in a 70-page book as he does a 2-hour live show in the basement of a Detroit performance hall. I feel that Neil always seems to know what I am feeling and still has a way of resonating with just about everyone. He has remained one of my favorite poets for a long time now, and I'm sure he'll be around the poetry scene for a while.
In this book, Neil talks about relationships, his dislike of cats, mental illness, what could've been among many other topics. Within each stanza, he manages to grab you with his semi-autobiographical poems and his impactful imagery and take you on a ride.
"The Future" is available on Button Poetry's website.
