The Gospel of Poetic Frolic by Sergio Melicio de Bel is a timeless collection of prose and poetry that explores various themes like love, loss, nature, pain, rage, healing, and self-discovery, among others.
Table of Contents
Review
The Gospel of Poetic Frolic by Sergio Melicio de Bel is indeed a gospel of poetry. In his debut collection of prose and poetry, de Bel masterfully blends the ornateness of Elizabethan styles and the starkness of Anglo-Saxon poetry with the evocativeness of Japanese forms and the lyricism of modern poetry. It is difficult to fathom that this is de Bel’s first published collection. His love for the English language is evident in his writing style. Each and every line feels lived. I can confidently say that Sergio Melicio de Bel’s The Gospel of Poetic Frolic is a book that is going to stay with you long after you turn the last page. In fact, it has the power to make the readers revisit its pages time and again.
Divided into two sections, The Gospel of Poetic Frolic has eighty-two poems. The first section, The Ashes of Darkness, deals with myriad themes like finding one’s place, rage, grief, loss, death, healing, freedom, and self-discovery, among others. All the pieces in this section are highly impactful. Take the first piece, for instance. In The Gift Shop: Can You Escape IT’s Influence?, de Bel aptly shows how we willingly make ourselves vulnerable to technology. It makes us realize that our digital footprint can never be erased. Too Strange to Shine? Nay!: I Pretended I Had No Heart to Break made me well up. Here, the poet unflinchingly shares how he was ill-treated by his peers in school. He did not let that daunt him. With his mother’s encouragement, he stood tall and answered back with his verses. I am sure this piece is going to encourage a lot of lost souls. In The Devil That Stole the Rose: Reclaiming a Bond in the Wake of Daemons and My Mom’s Daemon @ Home: The Bond That Outlived the Daemon, de Bel sheds light on his dark childhood and the strength of his bond with his mother. We have two pieces called Daily Poetic Thoughts. These consist of short poetic pieces that effectively capture the struggles of daily life. I love how these two pieces are formatted. The lines appear as if they are floating in our minds.
As the name suggests, the second section, Romance Enlightened My Inner, explores love’s passion. All the pieces in this section warmed my heart. I especially enjoyed Embers Beneath Neon Light: Tokyo Music Vibes in the Silence of the Night, Whisky, Booze, Spin & Play: Between the Spin of Pieces & the Pull of Desire, The Thread Between Us: Breath, Nails and Heat: The Scripture We Carve Into One Another, and The Chain Between Us: Where Wire, Root, and Tide Bind Desire Into Flame. The conversations between Blue and Pink beautifully capture romantic tension. Another poem that left a mark on my heart is Not Everything that Leaves Is Lost: Whispers of Petal, Flame, Tide, and Snow. I loved getting into the minds of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. The poet truly brought the seasons to life.
I have to mention the illustrations. They are unique and instantly grab the reader’s attention. They go perfectly with the theme of the book and beautifully complement the writing.
The Gospel of Poetic Frolic by Sergio Melicio de Bel is a masterpiece. It gives voice to every emotion in the human spectrum. In fact, it helps the reader name their unnamed feelings. I highly recommend this book to all poetry lovers. Old or young, male or female, everyone will enjoy this collection. Sergio Melicio de Bel’s The Gospel of Poetic Frolic is indeed a timeless collection of prose and poetry that has the power to etch its place in our hearts.
About the Author
Sergio Melicio de Bel is a Dutch poet and storyteller born in 1994. He began writing at thirteen and later founded Le Royalties Sergio Melicio. His debut collection, The Gospel of Poetic Frolic: Darkness & Romance (2025), blends influences from Old English, Elizabethan, and modern lyric traditions. He lives in Leeuwarden and writes while travelling.
Book Details
- Title: The Gospel of Poetic Frolic
- Author: Sergio Melicio de Bel
- Genre: Poetry
- Theme: Love, Loss, Rage, Grief, Healing, Passion, Self-Discovery
- Publication Date: February 16, 2026
- ISBN or ASIN: B0GNN2N55K
- Number of Pages: 214
- Minimum Audience Age: 18
Book Themes
(Note: 0=none, 1=a few, 2=considerable, 3=pronounced, 4=excessive)
- Sexual themes: 3
- Religious themes: 2
- Violence, self-harm, etc.: 2
- Crude language, expletives, swearing, etc.: 0
- Other adult themes: 3
Rating
- Content: 5 stars
- Writing Style: 5 stars
- Appeal to Target Audience: 5 stars
- Uniqueness: 5 stars
- Editing: 4 stars
- Other factors: 5 stars
- Overall: 4.83 out of 5 stars
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A compelling review that highlights poetry’s creativity and imagination beautifully
The Chrysalis BREW Project features a wonderful, must-read editorial review of Sergio Melicio’s brilliant poetry!
Oh, wow. I never would have thought of making poetry written about our digital footprints, but it makes sense since it’s a reflection of our current lives. And I love when poetry books play with the format; it’s almost like adding visual art besides the illustrations.