Mocah Sistah's Tears of a Woman: One Woman's Journey to Self-Love and Healing

African-American literature gets a boost from Chicago's very own, Mocha Sistah, a writer who's penned 10 poetry collection and who has used the arc of her pen to heal, inspire and empower others. If you ask this very active writer what is her inspiration, she'll quip, "life". When constructing her latest collection, she drew upon personal experience with life lessons in love, personal relationships and her journey as a woman to write a poetry book that not only speaks to the heart of womanhood, but to coping with life.

Mocha Sistah has been an active writer on the move since 2001 when she wrote her first published effort, Musings of a Mocha Sistah, and since then her work has been displayed at several literary venues including the Harlem Book Fair, Chicago Printers Row Book Fair, Los Angeles Black Book Fair and Book Expo. She is currently listed in seven anthologies including, Check The Rhyme, Songs of Hope and My Soul To His Spirit. Her inclusions as just as diverse as she is. Mocha Sistah is an author, song writer, a spoken word artist, a literary educator, publisher and considers herself a "renaissance woman".

Tears of a Woman: The Light Within was her attempt to capture the powerfulness of self-love, empowerment and redemption. She published the book through her publishing company, Osbey Books, which she established in 2004 to aid her through her journey as an independent writer and publisher. The book contains over 25 poems and has received positive responses from several writers and reviewers.

From the dedication on, Mocha Sistah's Tears of a Woman: The Light Within does exactly what it encourages all of us to do: let the shine shine. Mocha Sistah's poetry has universal messages of love, desire, and heartbreak: "Feeling like a bruised loser/I cry tears, nothing, in my/heart can satisfy me more/than loving you completely." The raw emotion of anger and regret splash across the pages of this collection, and we have to read on even when the images make us uncomfortable because we recognize them: "Why, bring a child into existence/Knowing one day they might be/Bitter about the same thing/I have been."

But she also celebrates hope and the will to go on despite any struggle, not only for herself, but for all black men and women: "When it gets too crazy/and it's about a man/or a job that's done me wrong/I can create a happy song/and sing it to my sisters . . . ."We feel the pain, but we also have the strength to let it go: "Imagine Peace in the domestic cities/across this great land we call AMERICA!" Mocha Sistah's latest collection is one of her best, and I encourage readers to let its light shine upon them.

Diane Williams
Writer, Chicago, Illinois

Tears of a Woman is a collection of poetry that simply inspires and engages any woman who reads it. Author Mocha Sistah takes the reader on a journey through various female emotions only to leave the final message that you can endure whatever your test it.Poems like Love's Imperfection, Apologies, Tear Down and Profound give the reader an opportunity for personal reflection…to see how she can improve, uplift and encourage herself and other women that all that is intended for you can be yours.

Mocha Sistah has outdone herself. I look forward to reading more from this dynamic author.

4 out of 5 stars.
Tanya Bates
Author, Chicago, Illinois

Tears of a Woman was a great book to read. Mocha Sistah did a remarkable job at capturing the most intimate moments of issues of the heart. This book embrace topics that many women will be able to relate too such as, love, hurt, neglect, relationships, life and so many more.

Poems like my inner circle, over, tear down, in our essence, and imagine peace encourages women that there is a light within them. A light that shines no matter what situation we find ourselves in. Every woman should look for the inspiration to live life to its fullest. No matter who we are we all need strength, hope and support. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of Mocha's work and very much suggest Tears of a Woman for any women who wants to feel encouraged.

Mozella Sullivan
Chief Executive Officer
Consciousness Magazine

From the deep valley of her pain, we hear the searing cries of a wounded little black girl mourning the conspicuous absence of her father - and they seem to take aim at brothers locked down everywhere, or strung out on crack, who comprise the exceedingly high statistics of the irresponsible African-American Men locked down and those who abandoned their babygirls, still struggling for identity and a place in a cold, dispassionate society. She unapolgetically speaks for all women, about the men who have done them wrong, kissed and dissed them, played them, betrayed them, with sweet serpent smiles and a magician's tricks. Yet her revealing testimony is not a venomous indictment of all brothers, all men.

The unspeakable crimes against the feminine gender does not leave her an empty vessel unreceptive of male affection. Her experiences do not leave her bitter. The sweeping arc of her pen does not descent upon these pages coldly. But flows sweetly like golden honey over spilled blood. These poems are short videos, slice-of-life vignettes, and docudramas that serves as lessons for the forlorn in an urban landscape littered with shattered dreams and broken hearts. But she keeps on moving. Mocha Sistah's bruised and battered heart still returns to the theme of love time and time again

Reginald Lewis
Author

If you are looking to be enriched by poetry that reaches you on mental level, by passing surface emotions and realities, then Tears of a Woman: The Light Within may be your poetic cup of tea. The book is available at www.lulu.com/mochasistah.
You can also log on to www.mochasistahonline.com to read more about this aspiring author from Chicago.