TTT: Excellent poetry book selections to read this April, National Poetry Month

Top Ten Tuesday: Excellent poetry books to read this April, National Poetry Month

I love to read poetry. But I get it that poetry can be very intimidating, especially when it is full of language from other centuries or the topic if so obtuse, it is impossible to understand what the poet is saying. What I love is poetry that speaks to me in a language I can understand, Poems that make me feel something or experience someone else's feelings are the best. But I also love humorous poems -- ones that make me laugh or at least smile. 

So with this in mind, I can wholeheartedly recommend all of these volumes of poetry. See if your library has any of them and check them out this month, National Poetry Month.

 

Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems by John Grandits

Concrete poems have shapes and this collection is full of shape poems to delight kids and adults alike. My two favorites have to do with volleyball and cheerleaders.

 

God Went to Beauty School by Cynthia Rylant

Imagine if God came down to earth and experienced life as a human. My favorite poem is about God's fascination with hands. Target audience is middle grade kids, but I love this book so much.

Dog Songs: Poems by Mary Oliver

Poet Oliver loves dogs and so do I. If you do, too, this collection is for you.

Sailing Around the Room: New and Selected Poems by Billy Collins

Collins is one of my favorites and a very readable and often funny poet.

I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Joy and Hope by Hafez

Such a joyful collection of poems by a Hafez, a fourteenth century Persian poet.

The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur

A very 'now' poet. Ms. Kaur writes short poems about issues from her life. She also illustrated the poems herself. Appropriate for teens on up.

Dearly: Poems by Margaret Atwood

Atwood is the author of The Handmaid's Tale. I was completely taken by her poems as well.

Light for the World to See: A Thousand Words on Race and Hope by Kwame Alexander

You may know Alexander from his novels in verse targeted to middle grade kids. This small volume contains beautiful and hopeful poems for kids on up.

Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman

This is not the easiest poems to read. Gorman found historical documents about the treatment of Black citizens. Many she made into erasure poems. When I figured out what she was doing, I was very moved.

I Hope This Finds You Well by Kate Baer

Kate Baer first published these collection of erasure poems on her Instagram account in response to letters, mostly critical of her. I can't tell you how much I love this book and the whole project.

And one more recommendation...the poetry collection I am reading, and loving right now:

Spine Poems: An Eclectic Collection of Found Verse for Book Lovers by Annette Dauphin Simon

-Anne