Overcast by Michael Froilan is a collection of poems covering several topics. The theme of self-love and acceptance is prevalent throughout the book. Society and people around us are always trying to make us fit in, but the author emphasizes the power of being self-aware. We all make mistakes and get depressed. The poems talk about these topics as well. They let us know that we are not alone and that the trials and tribulations we pass through are there to make us stronger. The author reminds the reader of a High Being watching over us, and that all will be well in the end.

These poems will arouse your emotions and make you think about life, love, relationships, and beliefs. I loved the simplicity of the words used, which does not in any way detract from the impact of their messages. The poems flow perfectly into the next chapter and make the collection the author's emotional life story. The author paints beautiful scenery with each poem. The imagery he uses is impeccable and makes you think you are there, sharing all his emotions with him. This is a great writing skill. The author showed vulnerability in expressing his emotions, and I applaud him for this wonderful work. Depression is a sensitive topic to tackle and present, but Michael Froilan offered his experiences and thoughts on the matter gracefully. I recommend this book to people who love reading poetry that evokes their feelings. I would also recommend Overcast to people who are going through tough times and need guidance.

Michael Froilan’s powerful collection of poetry interrogates both himself and the reader. The poems question how we make ourselves fit in with society. What effect does it have on our spirit if we do choose to conform to what others think we should be? Will we simply complete the jigsaw, or will we be the outcast missing piece?

From the very first poem ‘number one’, Froilan illustrates from his own life, how our greatest successes are just enfolded into the normality of our life, being a number one selling poet doesn’t stop the dirty dishes piling up. Throughout the work he uses a lowercase ‘i’ for the personal pronoun, which is a constant visual reminder of how we register our own ego and self-importance. Froilan’s poems constantly makes demands of the reader to address their own lives and how they are going to respond to his poetry. He demonstrates several times that he is a guide to the reader, but he is on the same journey as so many of us. ‘scorpion in a bucket’ contains the beautiful image of:

“i’m pulled by the stars

And i’m haunted by my dying dreams.”



Despite the seriousness of the prevailing message of addressing our own self-understanding, there is an interspersion of tender love poems in this collection, and all the poems are often playful, delighting in punning on simple words, and weaving through references as diverse as Jose Rizal and Frank Ocean. In the poem ‘lit crit’ he predicts what his critics might say with the statement of his writing philosophy “i don’t over-decorate what needs to be said.”

In this collection, there are many inspiring lines to pick from, one that particularly struck me is from the poem ‘anguish’:

“when i plummet, i don’t seek sympathy

i seek voltage”

It is a strong call for us to never give up, to always draw on our hidden energy to fight back against the sorrow of this world.

In the final devastating poem, ‘Reform’, Frolian reveals the reason for the questing positivity of his poetry,

“it was a cold spring night

i slashed the life out of my left wrist”

As the phoenix he was able to rise out of his burnt out chaos and his work provides hope we can all do the same.