Amber Sparks publishes debut poetry collection, “Supernova Soliloquies”
September 23, 2024 – Today is the day! Dandelion Scribes editor and local McCreary County poet/chemist extraordinaire Amber Sparks publishes her debut poetry collection. The book is called Supernova Soliloquies: From the Darkest Depths to Blinding Brilliance and explores the author’s life in two distinct chapters: “The Black Hole” and “The Supernova.” Moving from a world of darkness and deep suffering into a burst of healing and light and radiant energy, Amber takes us on a journey through her world of science & poetry, encouraging all who read her words to claim their rightful place among the stars.
In the introduction to her book, Amber writes, “In the collapse of everything I was, came the brilliance of everything that I am now and will continue to be. I chose to become an explosion of courage, of fight, of healing. I chose from that point on to shine so brightly no one could ever dull my sparkle again. We all have things in life that break us, some astronomically so. It is what we choose to do in these moments of collapse that define the constellations we will chart in history.”
Below is a selection of 8 poems from the book, followed by an invitation to Amber’s book launch this evening at McCreary County Public Library, along with more information about how to locate and purchase a copy of your own. Thank you for reading! We are so thrilled to share the magic of this star-dusted collection with you!
𖤣.𖥧.𖡼.⚘
Selections from “Supernova Soliloquies”
ANCIENT PROPHECIES
Ancient prophecies
spoke of a behemoth
a manmade monster
a hellfire crown atop
skin stained sulfur
a silver tongue
salivating for destruction.
They spoke of annihilation
& gathered in preparation,
swords unsheathed
by shaky hands,
as silence deafened the room.
“Can it be killed?”
rang out a rhetorical question
between rapid heartbeats
shallow breaths
& thundering footsteps
drawing nigh.
“No, but…” softly spoke
the smallest warrior
with golden locks,
& matching heart
held in offering,
“can it be loved?”
⚘
My father once told me
“The stars are lying to us.”
For years I sought deception
through a telescopic lens
scrutinized star charts
danced through meteor showers
sifting through stardust
for a sense of being wronged.
For decades I thought
such incandescence
can’t conceal darkness
such brilliance can’t be flawed.
Now, I finally understand
as I combust to produce
energy I no longer have
to emit a light
that is no longer my own.
The stars are lying to us.
They’ve been dead for years,
& still no one notices.
⚘
I will look for you
in every drop of liquor
poured in spotless scotch glasses
held by tainted hands,
in the silhouettes of cigarette smoke
the carcinogenic exhale
dancing across a silver tongue,
in the transition from
tender touches to senseless shoves,
in the lining of wedding rings
worn thin from infidelity,
in the knitted fibers
of every hotel bed sheet
clenched in my fists
crying out “Oh, God!”
expecting him
expecting you
to hear me.
⚘
ALEXANDRIA
I sat down for a cup of tea
with grief today
I tried to speak, but
all that poured out were spiders,
black roe dripping down my chin.
“Drink,” he sneered
offering insidious ambrosia
my insides liquefying
the heaviness consuming
the taste of gunpowder
her sweaty palms
her shaky grasp
the sound of desolation.
“Now,” he whispered
his web tightening around my neck,
“how have you carried me so long
& just now learned my name?”
⚘
When the sun sets
& “death do us part”
at last comes to fruition,
construct constellations
from my stardust soul
to guide your expedition.
HOWEVER
should the roles reverse
& you’re taken first
wrath is just the ignition.
Even the Devil will lock
the gates of Hell,
frightened by my intention.
⚘
passion is pyromantic
& your voice is incendiary
gasoline kisses with my
last name on your lips.
ignition. intuition. submission.
burning desire fueling
neurological fires,
intensity matching the blaze
of the leo sun your eyes become,
flames soaring & pouring
out of our skin &
roaring through flooring
supporting a room vacant
of planned escape routes.
no. this is baptism by fire
sealed in to be sanctified.
two forces of nature
i, the tornado
you, the volcano
simultaneously waging peace and war.
you incinerate my defenses
& moan my name like a battle cry.
a conquest sealed with a kiss
an arsonist’s heart won –
bliss.
⚘
“what are you pondering
so intensely, my love?”
“oh, string theory!”
but not in the sense of
point-like particle physics
being replaced by strings
propagating through space.
not dimensional analysis
of the number of universes,
but the absolute certainty
that we will chase each other
through every one of them.
that no matter how far we drift,
the atoms that vibrate in you
will always call the atoms
that vibrate in me
back home.
⚘
stars glowed red the night we
ripped the space-time continuum
with a goodnight kiss
seven years in the making.
lovers glowing more radiantly
than illuminating street lamps.
lips uniting, souls colliding
& reigniting
at that moment deciding
to listen solely to the guiding
of my ancestors rising,
presiding behind me.
“this is it,” they whisper
“these are the atoms that
you’ve been bonded to
for thousands of years.
welcome home, my love.”
𖤣.𖥧.𖡼.⚘
You are invited to the official SUPERNOVA SOLILOQUIES launch party!
Where to Purchase
Supernova Soliloquies: From the Darkest Depths to Blinding Brilliance is now available in our Dandelion Scribes poetry shop! You can place an order to be shipped to you directly from the author. If you are local to the Big South Fork area and would prefer to arrange local pick-up, please contact Amber via Instagram @asparkspoetry or send us a message on our contact page. The book is also available for purchase through all major online book retailers such as Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Book Depository, and more. Simply type in the title and author on your favorite bookseller’s website. ⚘
Congratulations, Amber!
We are so proud of you.
With endless love & gratitude,
