5 Beautifully-Written Poetry Books to Read
When I was younger, I used to think that poetry was boring. I didn’t want to take the time to understand the meaning behind each poem. I was an avid fiction reader—still am—and found pleasure in immersing myself in different worlds, not in interpreting texts.
But as I got older, I started to learn to appreciate poetry for what it is—an artistic expression of feelings, emotions, and struggles. I began to collect modern poetry books that had poems I could relate to in them. These poets talked about anxiety, depression, the future, what it’s like to be a woman, and more. I connected with these collections and found refuge in them during hard times.
If you’re interested in diving into the world of poetry like I am, here’s a list of five beautifully written poetry books that I enjoyed reading.
Photo by Nadia Pentolino
bending the universe
Bending the Universe by Justin Wetch was published by Simon & Shuster in 2018. The collection is 192 pages long and consists of five sections: Society, Love, Life, Personal, and Nature. The poems discuss modern topics, such as life in America during the Trump Administration. Simon & Shuster describe the collection as “brutally honest” and Wetch as “an idealist disguised as a pessimist.”
Some of my favorite poems from the collection are “Growing Up” which talks about the decline in happiness and joy as we get older, “Welcome to America” which discusses how America really isn’t the land of the free, “Dietary Considerations” which touches on body insecurities, and “Bending the Universe” which talks about rising up to overcome struggles.
Wetch is an internationally best-selling author from Anchorage, Alaska. He has another published work called Our Naked Souls and some of his work has been published by Cosmopolitan. Bending the Universe touches on both the personal and the private, and Wetch does a beautiful job of writing about topics people fear to express their opinions on.
Photo by Nadia Pentolino
empty bottles full of stories
Empty Bottles Full of Stories is a collection of poetry and prose by Robert M. Drake and r.h. Sin. The collection was published by Simon & Shuster in 2019 and is 240 pages long. The two writers are both bestselling poets who went viral for their work. The collection focuses on uncovering the hidden truths within yourself, and expressing feelings and emotions you may be unable to express in words.
Some of my favorite poems from this collection are “Blooming” which encourages the reader not to be hard on themselves during sad times, “Society” which addresses how people blame society for problems instead of raising their children better, “Anxious” which describes what people with anxiety feel, and “she, alone” which is about an independent woman who takes care of herself and nurses her own wounds.
All the poems and prose in the collection are written beautifully and passionately. The writers truly express their raw emotions. Once you start reading, it’s difficult to put the collection down.
Photo by Nadia Pentolino
wild embers
Wild Embers is a feminist poetry collection by Nikita Gill. It was published by Hachette Book Group in 2017 and is 160 pages long. It’s a powerful collection that discusses women’s struggles, healing, and loving oneself. There are many poems uplifting and empowering women.
Some of my favorite poems from the collection are “A Conversation With My Mental Illness” where the author fights back against her mental illness and works to overcome it, “Witch” which describes women as witches in a positive and beautiful way—as powerful and strong—contrary to what the meaning of “witch” usually entails for women, “Learned Helplessness” which talks about domestic violence and women who stay in abusive relationships, and “Boys will be Boys” which is about how boys can get away with anything but girls cannot—because there is no “girls will be girls”—and how society expects boys to be violent and girls to be the victims of such violence.
The topics discussed in these poems are heavy, but worth a read. Gill expresses love, anger, and anxiety. Her writing allows the reader to experience her emotions as they read her poems. I would highly recommend picking up this collection, especially if you’re a woman or enjoy reading feminist writing.
Photo by Nadia Pentolino
bloom for yourself
Bloom for Yourself is a self-published poetry collection by April Green and is 176 pages long. The collection discusses self-love and learning to grow and flourish. Beautiful illustrations of flowers and women’s bodies are sprinkled throughout the collection. The book is intended for those who feel lonely, unworthy, or lost.
Notable poems from the collection are, “the invitation” which is about learning to trust yourself and express how you feel to others, “time” which discusses how people are always waiting for something to happen and are wasting the present moment in the process, “flowering” which talks about how to heal yourself and how that is an act of forgiveness, and “pressed flowers” which is about forgiving yourself for the way you dealt with lessons in the past.
The poems are raw, uplifting, and well-written. If you’re experiencing a slump or hard time in your life, this is a poetry collection you should read.
Photo by Nadia Pentolino
petals of the moon
Petals of the Moon is a self-published poetry collection by C. Churchill and is 99 pages long. The poems are night themed and are intended to give the reader the idea that no one should suffer alone. The topics of most of the poems are sleeping, insomnia, loneliness, and depression.
Notable poems from the collection are “hold your tongue” which is a poem about feeling guilty during the night about words you never said and that uses the metaphor of attempting to grasp things in the dark, “fresh start” which talks about hating nights because of the endless negative thoughts that would plague the author’s mind, “no matter what” which is a beautiful poem about meeting the moon and healing from it, and “home” which is about going from hating to loving the nights.
Most of the poems are short, but the words within them are powerful. It is the shortest collection in this list, but it is packed with metaphors of night, darkness, and the moon to describe one’s suffering and other heavy topics. This collection is definitely worth a read.
conclusion
All these poetry collections discuss important topics in magical ways. They address topics people don’t always like to discuss—mental illness, low self-esteem, and loneliness. I hope that you give one of these collections a read and that they comfort you during hard times, like they did me. These poems feel like a warm hug and a person telling you that you’ll never be alone, you’re worthy of love, and that you are strong and can overcome your struggles.
