welcome to reallyriver (really)
im so glad you’re here!!
river’s poetry books
my next book of poetry is coming out THIS MONTH!! XD i’m so excited and deep deeeep in the vibes of finishing touches, gentle kisses & tender by-hand publication. this book will be made by mis manos, approximately 60 pages—ALL NEW POEMS—with a concentration on emotions & feelings.
whether you’ve been following along on my bookmaking journey since rivermouth in 2020, or just hopped on this year, get ready for a poetry book from me like you’ve NEVER experienced before!
capture your pre-order today, for the lowest price this will ever be offered :) this poet runs on salad in June and your order buys fresh produce to fuel fresh poems! tehe
Dallas Pick-up available beginning 1st week of July.
(buy before midnight friday juneteenth, get a FREE PERIODTea, use code TreatYoSelfPERIODTea at checkout)
Sometimes we’re in the flow of love and life. Other times we are high, dry & adjacent. This poetry finds you where you’re at on this journey wrought with love, hurt & pain, just as it found me. There’s many junctions to be met along this road; some joyous and true; some fraudulent and heartbreaking; some a petrifying mix of the above. whether you’re immoble, staring down a “pupil of a black hole” or surrounded by “a sprinkling of dead koi/ on the glittering sands” by someone else’s hands, these words are here to hold you gently. Wherever you are on your journey, may this window into my soul “[peel back] a cloudy night sky like smooth sherbert” better illuminating the cobblestone way forward with a little more moonlight.
Still River is a curated collection of River’s poetry spanning a smidge less than a decade. Organized like an answer to the unasked question, you’ll find a little bit of everything in this book, including scrumptious haikus, free-wandering verse, and truly mouth-crunchy diction. Approach as you are, be it a lover of novel adventure or a seasoned wordsmith; these words will go toe-to-toe with you every time.
2025 i experienced unprecidented growing pains.
between surviving the deaths of my first love, grandmama, and my beloved cat, Mooney, creating healthy boundaries to distance myself from jobs and enviornments i had once prayed for, walking a new journey of sobriety and struggling thru the profound physical, mental, and emotion pain of still standing from ALL’O’DAT, i had a choice. be crushed or find a glimmer.
choosing the latter, i grasped and held that glimmer, making 8.5×11 collages. then, i chopped up those beautiful works of my hands and kept creating bc that’s what life does sometimes. those double-collaged covers each became a one-of-a-kind piece of art as the covers of 2020FUCK that you see here. the poetry on the inside, the same in each book, is more vulnerable and raw that i’ve ever published before, holding the same tender glimmer that held me: small but wholly unbreakable.
okayyy, but—what is it?
an extremely limited edition book of poetry
one-of-a-kind cover, same poetry on the inside
made by River’s hands, following the lineage of my handmade and handbound works, “rivermouth 2020", “lovebomb 2023", & “darkness dancing 2024”
this poetry is me confronting the demons i’ve faced, lost, and which still haunt me and our society head-on. it’s not for everyone, and i’m okay with that.
is this work of my spirit for you?
a dallas native, wordsmith extraordinare life-long creative & blooming entrepreneur
hello—my name is River; im a poet, artist, creative organizer
you’re in my digital playhouse…roll up your sleeves, give your inner-critic a crossword to keep ‘em occupied—let’s have some fun exploring!
~~'still river' 2025 poetry publication: ~~
“Still River is that, but also more. The river is tumultuous, then calm, then roaring with laughter and pride and a new sense of self. This book is indicative of change and what we endure to make it through pain, wound-healing, & more. We come out "twink[ling] like soda pop" after the steady illumination that "perhaps [we] must carry [ourselves] home gently." This book is for anyone who has healed, anyone who needs healing. This book is for you.”
-Ash Durrance, dear friend & poet
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This is a wonderful read. Like breathing fresh air.
-Bird, self-defense teacher -
Such a wildly beautiful and deeply insightful book, not just of poetry but of a glimpse into the very soul of the author.
I had the great pleasure of meeting them in person and of not just hearing but feeling the passion that they put into their work.
Thank you for being you River!
-oldsoullikemine, poet -
Still River surrounds you like a pleasant body of water, suspending you atop the surface while you float from powerful imagery and symbolism to poetic musings and intriguing prose.
Consistently authentic while varied in style, these pages house a little something for everyone. Check it out!
-Reader -
Amazing experience with this book by River
-Pritush, Dallas musician
did you know you can only see my latest writing here?
“it’s the full blue moon and i’m eclipsing....”
