sonder - noun. the realisation that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.
J.R. Sonder explores the complexity of identity, healing, and love.
For readers seeking consolation, companionship, catharsis, and community in the chaos of modern life, J.R. Sonder’s author purpose is to create and share poetry that details her journey from trauma to transformations as an Australian born Lebanese/New Zealand woman.
Read J.R. Sonder's story.
Writing at the intersection of memory and healing, J.R. Sonder has encapsulated 10 years of poetry and life experience into her debut self-published poetry book To My First Love (TMFL). In TMFL, J.R. Sonder writes poetry about identity, mental health, domestic violence, womanhood, and being the eldest daughter.
Click the card to read an Excerpt:
To My First Love (TMFL) is beautifully honest in a way that truly caught me off guard. It feels authentic, like the writer isn’t trying to impress you, just sharing their truth exactly as they lived it. Because of that raw honesty, the impact is even more piercing. Each of the three acts carry its own distinct tone and emotion, all deeply intimate, like the writer is letting us in and laying everything bare, even the messy ugly parts. While no one grows up or lives the same way, I believe anyone can find a piece of themselves within these pages. There’s something about TMFL that speaks to the quiet, unspoken and sometimes darker moments that shape us, yet ultimately, those moments don't define us because only we have the power to reclaim ourselves and choose who we want to be.
We acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we meet and work. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We recognise their enduring connection to land, waters, and community. Always was, always will be.
www.jrsonder.com Copyright © J.R. Sonder / J.R. Sonder & Co. 2025
To My First Love (TMFL) Copyright © under Copyright Act 1968 (AUS).