Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy brings us a stunning new poetic collection, where the image of the bee buzzes gently at the edges of every page. Reminding us to make room for grace in the everyday, this collection showcases a poet in her prime.
Like the depths of his name, poet Ocean Vuong’s collection, “Night Sky with Exit Wounds”, is powerful and unrelenting. Exploring complex human emotions, he skillfully pairs words with haunting imagery – a black piano in a field, a wedding-cake couple preserved under glass. A collection not to be missed.
A book that is a journey in and of itself also traces many of its own. From New York City to ancient Rome and cold-war era Central Europe, poet Jana Prikryl experiments with style and our own ideas of self. This is a brilliant work by a fresh new talent.
Canadian feminist poet Rupi Kaur is something of a poetic genius. Her beautiful collection, Milk and Honey, explores the intimate delicacies and difficulties of being a woman in our modern age. Recommended girl power reading.
Poet Robin Coste Lewis presents a collection of poems dealing with the nuances of identity, desire, and race. Weaving in titles named after historical paintings depicting the black female figure, she challenges stereotypes and attends to their lingering residues.
Bright Dead Things uncovers a world of characters searching for something “disorderly, and marvelous, and ours.” A collection delving into the subtleties of life for 21st century feminists, here we encounter the heart rendered bare and life on overdrive.
According to poet Amanda Lovelace, life is what happens when you’re off picking dandelions and wishing yourself into the pages of fairy tales. In this charming collection, the Damsel in Distress comes out on top.
Grief is the Thing with Feathers marks the extraordinary debut of Londoner Max Porter. Here we meet Crow, the notorious trickster, antagonist, healer and occasional babysitter. Carefully shepherding a family dealing with the loss of their mother, Crow’s character will stay with you long after you put down this stunning work.
Upstream is poet Mary Oliver’s stunning collection of essays where she explores her never ending love affair with the great outdoors and the world of literature. Let this meditative collection transport you into nature.
Iconic poet Sylvia Plath churned out as many as two or three poems a day, many of which made them into her collection, Ariel. Hanging in the balance between utter hopelessness and the sheer beauty of a single human life, Plath’s poems are food for thought.
10 Poetry Books to Read on Public Transport
Cramped carriages. Broken air conditioning. Loud trance music. Unseamly smells! Just about every commuter can agree that public transportation in a nightmare. And that’s even before we get to work and face the mountain of tasks already awaiting us there! The daily grind of going through the transport motions can really do a number on us all. By week’s end we’re basically just physically drained, emotional wrecks dozing our way into a weekend sleep-a-thon. But does it have to be that way? Can we still be saved from the depths of transport hell? Here’s the good news: Yes! Yes you can!
We’ve got an action plan up our sleeves to send you into a state of unadulterated transport bliss. And guess what? It involves something you can fit into just about every purse. “So what is this magic solution?” you’re surely asking. Is it a magic carpet ready to soar high above the commuter madness? Is it a tranquilizer to just put you out of your misery already? Or instead is enough snacks to eat yourself into a food baby coma? No, it’s actually something much more nourishing a whole lot simpler. It’s poetry, silly!
Rather than getting all worked up and all stressed out, why not transform your daily commute (however long and annoying) into a blissful opportunity for meditative reflection? But don’t worry, we’re not suggesting you lug the complete poetic works of Shakespeare onboard (frankly there isn’t enough extra seat space for all that). Instead we’ve handpicked the 10 best poems to read on bus, train, plane or automobile. We would have included cars and bikes, but hey, no one wants to get arrested for reading and driving. But wherever you’re headed, please remember to practice safe poetry. And don’t be afraid to get a little lost along the way.
