poetry collections to read

Spring is for poetry and all things new, lyrical, and real. Here are 6 of my favorite poetry collections to dive into this April.

Cenzontle by Marcelo Hernandez Castillo

Poetry that is full of the longing to discover one’s true belonging. The collection dismantles the illusion of the American dream and focuses on the emotional burdens and fallouts of immigration. In a combination of English and Spanish, Castillo writes of a life before and after crossing the border between US and Mexico.

She Had Some Horses by Joy Harjo

This poetry collection is widely considered a feminist masterpiece that explores the journey of womanhood. Harjo weaves animal imagery, repetition, and powerful emotions to create a chant-like pace that echoes traditional oral storytelling. The poems highlight the despair women feel at the hands of men and society, but also the awakenings women experience through love and nature.

Time is a Mother by Ocean Vuong

This poetry collection walks through Vuong’s grief over the loss of his mother and various episodes of his life that shaped him into the poet he is. Time is a Mother continues after his previous collections, furthering the theme of honoring his mother and exploring family. The poems provide readers with glimpses of precious memories throughout Vuong’s life, especially in his childhood.

Ariel by Sylvia Plath

Published after her death, these raw and honest poems display the ever-present toll of life. The restored version brings forward the draft that Sylvia Plath wanted people to see.

Beastgirl & Other Origin Myths by Elizabeth Acevedo

A poetry collection that explores identity, culture, and mythology. Acevedo intertwines Spanish and English to draw inspiration from her Dominican heritage as well as her New York upbringing. The cultural differences, challenges, and expectations of being a first-generation American woman are highlighted throughout the poems.

Soft Science by Franny Choi

This collection is full of cyborg, AI, and Turing Test-inspired poems that question identity and human consciousness compared to a world of artificial intelligence. Tenderness and emotion is explored in a time full of violence, objectification, and loneliness. The sci-fi theme throughout the collection is used to dissect queerness as well as gender.