is this what it feels like to discover new land?

About The Book

is this what it feels like to discover new land? is a narrative poetry collection that follows an emotional expedition from south to west, west to north, and north to east. Using the imagery of a Western expedition, the book transforms unfamiliar landscapes into a metaphor for depression, anxiety, suicide, healing, divorce, self-discovery, and the pursuit of love.

Through each new territory, the speaker confronts what has been lost, what remains, and what it means to keep searching after everything familiar has disappeared.

Because sometimes finding new land isn’t about discovering somewhere new. It’s about discovering who you are once you’ve finally escaped where you used to be.

About The Author

Mario Amaya is a Mexican American poet born and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where he continues to reside. He has been writing poetry since he was a teenager, drawing inspiration from artists such as Taylor Swift and Christina Perri. For Amaya, poetry has always been more than a form of expression — it has been a way to understand emotions that can be difficult to put words. His dream has always been to publish a book and use his writing to advocate for mental health awareness, offering guidance and comfort to those who may struggle to speak about what they are going through.