Poetry From A Dark Night Of The Soul

finding beauty from within the shadow

This is the story of a dark night of the soul, of traversing the depths of despair, and of rebirth.

It shows the reality of hitting rock bottom. Not by a self-reported narrative written after the fact, but through unfiltered poetic expression written in real time during breakdown and recovery.”

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Read a poem from the collection or purchase as a Paperback, eBook, Hardcover or Audio.

The poems within this collection were written over a 24-month period and are presented in chronological order. They show the inner tumult and turmoil of a man desperately trying, and failing, to hold together the crumbling status quo of his prior existence.

They show the short-lived hopes, the shattered dreams, and the impact of ill-advised interventions that made everything worse.

They also show that there is light at the end of every tunnel.

That like a caterpillar entering a cocoon, sometimes what feels like destruction is in fact a necessary part of the transformation process, and perhaps that, like a seed, the engulfing darkness may in fact be the dirt from which you can bloom.

Read a poem from the colleciton | Purchase as a Paperback, eBook, Hardcover or Audio.

  • ★★★★★

    “It's a rare experience to journey with someone through a dark night of the soul. It was a true honour to read these words. As I read along I took endless notes of all the things that struck my heart, that I felt I wanted to hold on to. It didn't take long to give up with the note taking because it became too many to keep track of! So much to reflect on and something I will return to many times throughout my life.

    Zachary Phillips has a real gift of expressing an experience in such an intimate yet universal way...Incredible.”


    - Lana, D

  • ★★★★★

    “I really enjoyed this book and poems, it's so good to hear these darknesses talked about and see the hope of coming out the other side of a mental break down or midlife crises. We often go through life trying to not show our darker times and it is books like this that make us feel seen and heard, and that everyone sometimes feels this way and that it's going to be okay.”

    - Susan, P

  • ★★★★★

    “As someone who struggles with mental health but rarely reads poetry, I was not sure what to expect from this collection. What I ultimately discovered was a kindred spirit. I could pour my heart out to a loved one for hours without a sliver of the catharsis I enjoyed from reading this book. I found in these pages familiar thoughts expressed in uniquely striking ways that helped me feel seen and even, dare I say, loved.”

    - Harley, P

  • ★★★★★

    “This book is a ride of emotionality, imagery, heartache, and hope. It moved me, made me feel like I was not alone, and helped me to see a way out of my own dark night of the soul. I am not there yet, but I now see the light.

    Thank you Zac for being brave enough to share this with the world.”

    - Clarke, S

  • ★★★★★

    “I am in love with this. I’ve never related more. A whole journey. And you feel it. It’s not just words on paper. This is definitely an experience you will want. You won’t regret buying this book.”

    - Ginge, S

How To Write Evocative Poetry

Genre: Writing-Guide
Word Count: 36,660
Page Count: 132
Published: 2023

Read a poem from the colleciton | Purchase as a Paperback, eBook, Hardcover or Audio.