More Songs to Listen to at Midnight is a thoughtful, beautiful examination of love and how it makes us vulnerable. It is a free verse poetry collection from Kewayne Wadley, following the success of his first book, and it centers on the poet’s love for his childhood and upbringing, told through intriguing and masterful verses.
More Songs to Listen to at Midnight follows the first volume and picks up where that one left off, but it is also possible for readers to enjoy it separately, as it has a distinct theme and approach that explores deeply resonating themes like romance and heartbreak, beauty, and disappointment. The collection is innovative in its style and meaning and considers what happens when expectations crash against the reality of love, and Kewayne Wadley masterfully examines the consequences of this clash.
These “songs” focus on the little moments, often those small experiences, thoughts, and feelings that can be hard to put into words, but Kewayne finds a way to achieve this with a sense of authenticity that is sure to ring true for the readers.
The collection features a beautiful cover and illustrations from Cammry Lapka, which complement the poems effectively and make the collection a beautiful thing as well. It also features editing work from authoress Alice Branch. The three are good friends, and this feeling of collaboration makes the anthology feel stronger.
Kewayne Wadley is a poet with a long trajectory. He has collaborated with other artists, and his work has appeared in different anthologies, such as several volumes of the Poet Bond series. More Songs to Listen to at Midnight is his second solo effort, a collection of poetry that aims straight for the readers’ hearts. It is part of the Listening to Songs at Midnight series, which focuses on the small things that happen every day and are kept secret, on those little moments we have and never share, on those songs we listen to when nobody else is around. It explores the ideas of love and what love means when contrasted with the reality of the world.
This collection is sure to please fans of poetry, in particular, free verse poetry, and offers a poetic style that is likely to resonate with the romantics. It is a follow-up to the first book of the series, Songs to Listen to at Midnight, and offers a lot more poems that will speak to readers and put into words the experiences we all have but keep secret. In this sense, it is an intimate and personal collection that speaks to the readers’ hearts.
We had the pleasure of interviewing Kewayne Wadley, Author of More Songs to Listen to at Midnight.
Here are the excerpts from the interview.
Hi Kewayne, Great to have you with us today! Please share with our readers about yourself.
Hello, I am a poet/creative writer from Memphis, Tennessee. I am also an artist that enjoys painting and drawing in my spare time. During my high school years, I played alto sax which has contributed to my love for the arts. Originally I grew up in the south and had the unique opportunity to travel and live abroad in Central America when I was younger. Currently, I’ve been published in an array of Poetry anthologies as well as a few magazines.
Please tell us more about your journey.
Growing up, I’ve always been an advocate for the arts, haha, and I believe that it’s a good feeling to be able to make a few contributions to the craft as well. The way I feel I contributed to the world of art is by having two collections of poetry published of my own, with three more in the works that I hope to release (fingers crossed) at some point during the year. I am still working on the third of the two, but I believe it to be worth the wait.
With the encouragement of my friends and family, I’ve been able to make it this far in my writing career. With a couple of long talks and meditation, the process has been a tad bit easier than it was in the beginning. However, the writing process can be tedious because of minor writing blocks. All in all, I’m having a blast enjoying the process as well as the journey.
Please tell us about your book, More Songs to Listen to at Midnight.
More Songs to Listen to at Midnight, in its essence, focuses on the vulnerabilities of falling in love & sometimes how we fail in love. Even in the moments when couples fall short, there is still something to be gained, which is a lesson learned. With that, I try to bring those thoughts and moments to life. Whether it’s a person, place, or thing, we encounter them on our daily voyage through life.
Although some things are pretty much there, we still sometimes miss the finer details about what is special to us. It is often hard putting these things into words when they are so near and dear to us, even if it is just speaking, hahaha.
The book does its best to capture these things through vivid imagery & emotion. One of the themes of this volume—much like the first, Listening to Songs at Midnight is to bring a different sense of how we view love and the many thoughts associated with it. It delves deep into what a person is truly feeling, and it doesn’t have to be just a person. It could be about how chocolate makes someone feel in the moment they’re consuming it. Nonetheless, my poetry creates an imagery of how we truly feel that will be nothing short of a journey.
Any message for our readers?
Yes, do not be afraid to express yourself, especially when it comes to going after your dreams. No matter how rough the road ahead gets. It does balance out.
The takeaway from my work is to not be afraid to express yourself. Whatever emotions you feel, find your way of expressing them, whether it be through the creativity of writing or drawing. Everyone has a unique talent & voice. Let your work be an image of who you are and what you believe.
Fantastic! So tell us, how can people find out more about you?
You can follow me on Instagram @poeticblues1 and check out my Facebook.
Thank you so much, Kewayne, for giving us your precious time! We wish you all the best for your journey ahead!
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