I Buried You Here by Ivana Gmitrovic

On a quiet afternoon browsing new books at the library, I discovered a powerful debut poetry collection by Montreal poet Ivana Gmitrovic titled I Buried You Here. The book immediately stood out. The cover features a dripping heart, raw and unfiltered, signaling the emotional intensity inside. With Valentine’s Day approaching, this collection offers a compelling alternative to traditional poems. Instead of polished sentiment and predictable love poems, I Buried You Here explores the complicated, vulnerable, and unforgettable reality of love. It is not soft or decorative. It is honest, emotional, and impossible to ignore.

I have always believed that I do not find books. Books find me. This one certainly did.

Some of the most impactful contemporary poetry comes from young writers because youth expresses emotion without restraint. Young love is not cautious. It is expressive and overwhelming. It aches and shines at the same time. In your twenties, feelings are still developing their vocabulary. The heart speaks before the mind edits. That raw authenticity gives modern poetry its urgency and vitality.

Although my twenties are long behind me, I recognize that same emotional intensity in my children as they navigate their own experiences with love and loss. Technology has changed communication. Screens have replaced handwritten letters. Conversations happen instantly. Yet the essential human experience remains unchanged. The desire to be seen. The longing to be loved. The vulnerability of falling in love. The heartbreak of losing it. The resilience that keeps hope alive. Across generations, love remains transformative.

That is why I Buried You Here reverberates so deeply. As we grow older, love can harden into caution. Youthful love, however, remains exposed and tender. This poetry collection feels like an unguarded offering. Ivana writes with emotional transparency in a world where so much is curated for appearance. Her work embraces vulnerability and honesty. There is strength in declaring, this is my pain, this is my love, this is my truth.

Originally from Serbia and now based in Montreal, Ivana Gmitrovic began writing poetry as a teenager. For her, poetry was never about recognition. It was therapy, a way to process heartbreak, confusion, and self-discovery. Over time, personal journals evolved into intentional, carefully crafted poems. That journey from private reflection to published author gives this debut collection both intimacy and depth. I witnessed something similar in my own daughter during her twenties, as she turned to poetry to understand a world still unfolding around her.

Ivana’s background in building engineering adds another dimension to her voice. As a student immersed in structure, logic, and precision, she brings balance to her creative work. Her poetry reflects both emotional vulnerability and thoughtful construction. There is harmony between feeling and form. More than a decade of journaling and experimentation supports this first published collection.

Although I Buried You Here is her official debut, Ivana has already built a growing audience by sharing her poetry on social media. In an era driven by filters and perfection, authenticity stands out. There is a clear promise in her voice. Emerging writers can learn from her willingness to take creative risks. Writing poetry requires courage. It requires emotional exposure. This collection does not shy away from the depth of the human heart.

Publishing poetry is an act of bravery. It is choosing to be visible. It is choosing connection over silence. Beyond poetry, Ivana reads widely, experiments with other art forms, and engages in conversations about philosophy, literature, science, and mathematics. This intellectual curiosity strengthens her creative voice. Poetry does not exist in isolation. It grows through reflection, learning, and lived experience.

Reading poetry also demands empathy. A poet shares personal truth, yet each reader interprets those words through their own emotional lens. As a male reader, my experiences differ from hers. Complete alignment may be impossible. Still, the effort to understand is meaningful. Poetry creates connection. It allows us to say, I may not feel exactly what you feel, but I am listening.

At its core, I Buried You Here reminds us that love drives everything. Love fuels risk, confession, growth, and resilience. Words can pulse on a page like a heartbeat. They require attention. When we stop listening to one another, emotional distance grows. And where distance grows, love weakens.

Discovering a young poet at the beginning of her journey is inspiring. It brings back memories of earlier seasons when emotions felt too large to contain. Poetry written in youth may not chase perfection, but it carries undeniable vitality. It reminds us how fiercely we once felt and how deeply we still can.

Ultimately, love works the same way. It begins as a spark in the mind, but it must be sustained through action. Love requires daily effort, presence, and intention. It is not passive. It thrives on words and is strengthened by behavior. It grows through attention and fades through neglect.

To love is to remain open. To embrace vulnerability. To choose, again and again, to nurture what matters most. That is the deeper message woven through I Buried You Here. Love is powerful. Love is fragile. And when lived fully, love transforms us.