TEEN MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE JESS ROBUS, DEBUTS HER INSPIRING COLLECTION OF POETRY
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Having met Jess Robus at the tender age of 6 for the first time as she flitted in and out of her mother’s photography studio, I was awestruck by the maturity and vibrance of the young lady that stood on stage last night, the 3rd June 2021 announcing the release of her debut book, “A Few Slivers of Light, A Collection of Poetry”, now available for purchase online on Amazon, via Jess Robus’s website, or via PayStack
Since first meeting Jess as Jacqui and Daniel’s daughter, she added the titles of singer-songwriter, debater, musical theatre aficionado and now author and published poet to her list of accomplishments.
When asked last night by Raashida Khan, author of Mirror Cracked, why she had written the book, a shy but confident Jess responded “I started writing as a means to express my emotions, and also for other 11, 12-year-olds who are going through the same emotions.“
“A Few Slivers of Light” is a beautifully written, vulnerable, and emotive collection of poems about a teenager’s journey with anxiety and depression. Author Jess Robus hopes she will inspire other teens and young adults to speak up about their mental health struggles and reach parents who might have children experiencing these challenges.
May was Mental Health Awareness Month and June being Youth Month, this is perfect timing for Jess to release her poetry collection for the world to finally see the outstanding poet that she is. Jess began writing poetry at the tender of age 8, choosing this medium as a means for her to process the world around her.
“I’ve always loved writing, and poetry in particular I’ve found to be a very engaging medium both from the perspective of the reader and the writer. It’s an art form that can so eloquently capture emotions and thoughts and enables me to deal with them and process them constructively. Publishing this book is a way for me to share my struggles and recovery and hopefully show others that they are not alone.” – Jess Robus, Author and Published Poet
Having gone through a two-year depressed anxiety spiral and witnessing the struggles that her friends and fellow teenagers have experienced with their own mental health, Jess holds Mental Health and enhancing its awareness across all communities very close to her heart. For this reason, she aspires to continue using her poetry and music to chronicle her own journey of accepting and constructively dealing with the challenges she has faced whilst attempting to reassure others that whatever they may be going through, they are not alone. Jess goes on to add that she sees poetry as a form of self-expression, as poetry is honest, raw, and real, as it captures the emotions of a moment allowing her to recognise them and deal with them.
When asked by Raashida Khan if her writing influenced who she is or if it was the other way around, Jess says ” It’s a bit of both…writing helped her appreciate what she felt, while her therapy sessions helped her identify her triggers.”
Award-winning Author and Poet, Raashida Khan wrote the Foreward to the book.
This excerpt of that Foreward captures the essence of the book;
“A Few Slivers of Light is more than a collection of beautiful and evocative poetry. It is a revelation. An insight into the psyche of a young woman walking her journey of life while dealing with challenges, both internal and external.
Jess Robus displays insight and talent that belies her young age. Her writing journey mirrors her personal journey so that, as readers, we are drawn in and are captured by the turn of phrase, use of words, and interesting take on writing style.
The imagery used in her descriptions are sometimes startling, but always concise and targeted. Jess fearlessly invites us to experience her thoughts, feelings and emotions in the most intimate way. That takes courage and is inspiring to see in one so young.
As readers, we are more than observers being given a glimpse of the depths of despair and heights of triumph. The poems speak to the heart, mind and soul of the reader, taking us into deep recesses of our own consciousness.”
A Few Slivers of Light is self-published, and now available for purchase online on Amazon, via Jess Robus’s website, and via PayStack
Engage with Jess Robus via social media INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, YouTube.
