Some Things I Still Can't Tell You: Poems

Unflinchingly honest, heart-wrenchingly raw and incredibly personal, Some Things I Still Can’t Tell You is an emotional gut punch of a book. In his first poetry collection Misha Collins gives us a window into his life, his mind and his soul. Some poems are bright and exuberant, exclamations of love and delight in people and nature and the small joys of life itself. Others are the polar opposite, laced with the pain of loss and grief and a deep melancholy that seems to radiate from a sense of personal dissatisfaction and loneliness. Misha writes with a direct and unadorned style that lends a sense of truth to his poems. His imagery is clear and beautiful without being overblown. He is able to distill a moment down to a sharp, distinct point and wring surprising emotions from it, both delightful and devastating. The collection is divided into five books, each evoking a different feeling, all of them working together to give a startlingly autobiographical feel to the entire collection. In many ways that’s what this book feels like, an autobiography in verse. Misha reveals so much of himself in such depth that it almost makes the book’s title feel like sleight of hand. All in all, this is a phenomenal book, especially for a first collection. The simple style belies the actual complexity of the poems and I find myself going back and reading them over and over again, each time pulling out bit more insight. I am greedy when it comes to good poetry. I want volumes of it from poets I admire so I admit I hope to see a second book from Misha Collins but if he never writes another line in his life, he can be proud of this work because it’s truly remarkable.

I, admittedly, am not an avid poetry reader. I enjoy the ones I have read, but I don't tend to go seeking it out. I knew this collection, from pretty much the moment it was announced, was going to be an exception. Collins divides his collection of poems into six sections, spanning a wide variety of topics that all feel so deeply personal and honest I often felt like I was intruding on conversations and thoughts I had no right to bear witness to. The first section, titled 'love poems' is the section that will stick with me the longest. "The Center" in particular put such a lump in my throat and an ache in my chest I had to set my phone down to process. Collins also writes about several of his "people" and those poems are some of my favorites in the collection. Particularly the one entitled 'Marder' near the end of the book. Its theme is admittedly a bit dark, but I adore it. The other sections are equally lovely and soul-baring. Collins doesn't hide anything from the reader, again making you feel like a voyeur trespassing in his private thoughts. There are happy poems, incredibly heartwarming poems, poems that made my heart ache for him, poems that made me laugh out loud, and poems about feeling so sad for reasons you don't understand that you just curl up in a ball and cry. Collins really wrote about such a wide variety of situations and emotions that I feel like everyone will be able to gain something from this collection. Poetry reader or not, definitely pick this collection up if you want to break your own heart a little and put it back together a bit more tender than it was before.

I first read this on NetGalley and I am very thankful to have been given the chance to do that. ———————————————————- I struggled all day to find the words for this review. First, I am a fan of Misha’s so of course I was going to read this book. I will honestly say though that I’m a huge poetry fan and just didn’t know going in if it would be good or not (I should have known it would.) but I couldn’t put it down so to speak. After reading And reflecting, I still don’t know if the right words will come out here. I feel like I just went on an emotional journey. I feel like I just locked myself in a room and read someone’s Diary. I cried. I laughed. I cried some more. I just got punched right in the guts with feelings. I reflected on it ALL day after reading and I went through every emotion imaginable. As I said above I feel like he just threw his diary at us. It was very good and if you’re a poetry fan like I am I’m willing to bet you’ll love it. (I’m actually sorry I questioned it at first.) ——————————————————— The above was the FIRST time I read the book. It is now release day and I have read it again. It is that good. (I couldn’t even wait for my physical copy so I read the kindle version in the middle of the night.) All of the above is still true, but every time you read a book you catch something you didn’t catch before or you feel something you didn’t feel the first time through. This time around I thought the book was even BETTER than I thought it was the first time. I read through some of these poems thinking “Wow I feel this way a lot!” In other words the poems use jumped right off of the pages and spoke to me. “These Days” is the one that spoke to me the loudest. I’ll be honest, It was one that punched me right in the guts with feelings and made me cry but maybe that’s because I too do the same. Another of my favorites was “Suddenly”. The smallest things can be magical. I have a few more favorites, but instead of naming them all I think it would be better for everyone to grab a copy of the book and pick their own. Trust me it will be well worth it. Even if you are not a poetry reader….. it will be well worth it. Amazing job Misha, I’m sitting here writing the add on to my original review yelling at myself for wondering even for a split second if it could really be this good. It’s AMAZING. I will repeat that everyone reading this review should go grab their own copy. I promise you’ll love it.

I have loved Misha Collins ever since I saw him on Supernatural. As a SPN fan of course I had to get his book! It is lighthearted sometimes, tense/thoughtful in other ways. I love to see actors using different avenues in their lives than just the Hollywood scene (literally and figuratively).

I should be honest upfront: I don't read poetry books — at least not in earnest. The most exposure I've had is the classics like Byron and Shakespeare they made me read in high school for a book report. It's not that I don't like poetry, I just had a preconceived notion that poetry was random, non-linear, couldn't really tell a story outside of a few lines with vague guesses as to what it meant. I also sometimes felt like poetry may be too personal for me to read, that I'm viewing someone's internal thoughts and feelings. Snapshots into peoples' lives, knowing intimate details about how they viewed the world was too intense for me. But, I promised myself I'd read this. I wanted to be supportive, I wanted to broaden the reading box I usually stayed in (historical LGBTQAI books, thrillers, etc etc), and I wanted to see if I could challenge myself to read something written by someone who I've seen a public persona from for eight years, and also had preconceived notions for, but still read it with an open mind. I am giving it five stars because I thoroughly enjoyed it. It kept me on my toes, kept me thinking, all while drawing out emotions I didn't think I'd have reading poetry. It didn't get lost in itself, didn't pretend to be anything other than what it was: a diary of sorts over specific feelings and emotions felt over 20 years. It was still non-linear, but the importance of the reading wasn't about his journey from this point to that point, but just the emotions over the course of two decades or so and how he views himself and others. While reading it, I kept imagining it like a rollercoaster. Not a crazy one that whips you from side to side and breaks your bones with heavy g-forces — but rather one that rolls up and down, providing enough of a swoop to catch you off guard in the best way (or the worst way), all while providing enough stability to make you want to never get off the ride. You're given views of vivid flowers, trees, and a lonely but peaceful countryside. But, also on the ride, you also see burnt-out landscapes, a harsh winter sky, and another pang of loneliness but the lingering kind you can't shake. There were three pairs of poems that had me rereading them three or four times. They were easy but also layered reads that felt like they revealed something each time. Going back and forth, back and forth was addicting and I had to tell myself I had to move on otherwise I'd be there all day. But it wasn't just those six poems — all of them had that but to different intensities. Each one didn't feel overbearing and stressful, though some got awfully close and with two of them I did actually feel myself almost tear up. They mostly didn't make it easy to turn the page. There were shorter ones that did loosen its grip — they still made you think and feel but freed your mind enough to move on — only to be caught up in the next one before you could truly collect yourself. The poems have little details that if I wasn't truly paying attention to, I'd miss some key admissions tucked away in the lines. It helped add to the story, the confusion, the context for other things I read later on. The book shattered the preconceived notions I had about the author and about the world of poetry itself. I know not every writer is the same, but this book, like with most rollercoasters, just made me yearn for another ride.

My Wife lives and breathes Supernatural. New shows on Netflix? Supernatural. Just finished watching the entire series from start to finish? More Supernatural, back to episode one. She even has the exact same Winchester brothers tattoo (you know the one). But she ADORES Misha Collins. And not just because of Cas, she loves him in everything that he's in. I knew that she was interested in this book, so I decided to order it for her as a surprise. She was overjoyed. And the book still hasn't left her nightstand yet. She appreciates that certain poems can be re-read at a different time, and the meaning can change. Personally, I like Castiel. I like Misha Collins, though I wouldn't say I'm a fan. So to be totally honest, I assumed that his collection of poetry would only really appeal to his fans. But once I started reading his work, I was honestly impressed. I've written fiction and poetry as far back as I can remember. And his stuff is really good. Had he not gone into acting, and simply stuck to writing, I could see myself buying this book regardless. So if you're thinking about gifting this to someone, they actually don't even have to be an admirer of his acting work. But someone that's simply a fan of poetry in general. P.S. anyone else here ship the whole Castiel/Dean thing that only got discussed at the end? I know we do.

It's rare that a book of poetry can make you feel like you've taken the mental adventure one partakes in when reading a work of prose. "Some Things I Still Can't Tell You" not only accomplishes this feat, it actually does it better than some published novels. The poems themselves are an eclectic fusion of light and darkness, spanning the spectrum from heartbroken to overjoyed. They cover beginnings, endings, and everything in between - and I do mean everything. Collins takes us to the edges of a blade of grass on the sidewalk, through a tunnel of fire during a run, and into the depths of the woods, camping and laughing with a cherished companion (who burns him a CD at the end). We travel with the author to various solitary hotel rooms, feeling the ache of life on the road. He allows the reader to eavesdrop on what is certainly a private phone call, and even drops a secret afterwards - just for us! (the person on the end of the line isn't even privy to hear the words). Most poignant though, is the vulnerable and open invitation to see the deepest parts of the writer's heart in poems about his children, his 'people' (complicated and not so much), and his own fears and doubts when considering this little trip we're all on called life. An introspective delight that will elicit both laughter and tears - this collection is a gift. Buy it, and keep it. You won't have any regrets.

To preface this review I read more poetry, books, and just stories in general than I rightfully should, given I don’t have a ton of free time in my 60+ hour work week. Now, I preordered this book back in June and the day it arrived I tore it open and speed read (the first pass through) in an hour. I read it again later that night after work, much slower taking everything in. I laughed, I cried and I cried some more. Anyone who knows of Misha knows that the man is eloquent in his words but being able to put such raw emotion and depth into poetry and make it make sense is a feat. He did that! This book has poems that have a beautiful hurt and it has some that are light hearted and joyful. “Smog Cutter” and “These Days” ripped my heart out of my chest and stomped on it while “Marder” had me cherishing friendships a little more closely. “Reread” had me wanting to accomplish things I’ve put to the wayside in the past (and maybe pick back up on running). Don’t get me started on the love poems, I don’t have a favorite as they were all very lovely and deep! I feel as though I could experience every beautiful, cherished moment as well as every tear cried by Misha while reading this book and that’s what makes good writing. I sincerely hope Misha continues writing because it’s beautiful and he has a way with words. I’ll definitely continue reading anything he may produce in the future. Thank you Misha for opening your heart to the world and baring your soul. Although there were times I was left wanting more, (hence the title…very clever btw) I thoroughly enjoyed reading this from and outside perspective. All in all this book deserves a 10/10 and I highly recommend it to anyone/everyone because I believe there’s a least one poem you can resonate with.