In the delicate embrace of decay, where beauty and sorrow intertwine, Dark Grace: The Art of Sorrowunveils the haunting elegance found in the eerie, the tragic, and the forgotten. Through verses steeped in melancholy and allure, INKELLE explores the fragile splendor of ruin—the silent waltz of ghosts, the poetry of fractured things, and the romance of shadows that refuse to fade.

This collection is an ode to the macabre’s quiet grace, where love lingers past the grave, memories whisper through the cracks of time, and even sorrow holds a kind of radiance. Each poem is a brushstroke on a canvas of twilight, painting a world where darkness is not feared but revered.

Step into the realm where tragedy and beauty are one.

Dark Grace: The Art of Sorrow© 2025 by INKELLE. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations used in reviews and critiques.

This is a work of original poetry. Any resemblance to real events, persons (living or deceased), or historical occurrences is purely coincidental or used in a symbolic and artistic manner. This collection is intended for artistic and literary appreciation and is not meant to promote or glorify themes of death, grief, or despair, but rather to explore their poetic and aesthetic depth.

FIEFDOM FALL is an album I’m immensely proud of creating, especially considering the period in which it was made. I started working on the concept in July 2024, after writing the first piece, Passion of The Cut Sleeve, about my boyfriend at the time - the day before we broke up. That piece became the catalyst for the album, leading me to write mostly about my childhood trauma as a way to process it.

The title, FIEFDOM FALL, comes from the second piece on the album, Filial Piety, which I wrote to make sense of my feelings toward my parents. To me, FIEFDOM FALL represents the destruction of a belief system, both internally and externally. Internally, I changed in December when my family from New Zealand came to visit. I noticed myself becoming more assertive, mirroring the confidence I saw in their tourist behaviors. This confidence was new to me - I realized how much of my personality I had kept hidden, likely because I associated it with my queerness and, in turn, suppressed both. The external change is mostly about how others perceive things, as explored in Rue You, where I wrote from the perspective of a character who both adores and is repelled by someone. In a way, that push-and-pull dynamic mirrors how outside forces shaped my own relationships and self-perception.

FIEFDOM FALL is also deeply poetic, which is something I’ve always strived for - poetry within lyrics. It doesn’t always adhere to traditional song structures, much like queerness itself isn’t always seen as mainstream. The poetic style feels especially fitting given how personal the album is to my experiences with sexuality and identity. In some ways, the poetry acts as a veil, masking the full truth beneath flowery - or in this case, Chinese - imagery.

And that’s what this album encapsulates. I hope you can identify with these struggles I’ve carried for years - struggles that are ultimately human: jealousy (Shaded Jade), heartbreak (I Don’t Think), baby fever (Antinomy), and more. But even if you don’t relate to anything I’ve said, I hope you can still enjoy the experience of stepping into the shoes of a queer artist navigating life.

"Beyond the Fractured Light" is a poignant and introspective poem that explores the human search for happiness, meaning, and emotional wholeness. Through vivid imagery and metaphors, the poem delves into the complexities of the human experience, revealing the fragility and beauty of the human spirit.

A poignant and darkly comedic exploration of the human experience, 'Chaotic Probiotic' delves into the contradictions and absurdities of life. With witty wordplay and unflinching honesty, the poem lays bare the struggles of navigating a seemingly meaningless world, where laughter and despair coexist in a delicate balance.

The poem Fading Embers explores the transformation from warmth and love to coldness and despair. It delves into themes of heartbreak, betrayal, and inner turmoil, using vivid imagery to depict the emotional journey of a once lively heart turned cold. The reflection on the darkness within and the deceptive nature of appearances questions the impact of a cold heart and the deep emotional scars it leaves behind.

This is a poem I wrote in 2015 right after dealing with a major heartbreak...one of many poems I wrote during that time. When my emotions are at peak intensity I tend to write poems instead of stories. I prefer to go with the flow vs being precise with rhyme...every poem I write comes from an organic rush of adrenaline and feeling.