If you ask me, I would say that I’m a poetry junkie. I’ve been fascinated with this style of writing since high school and now will forever be in love with it. It has been a creative outlet as well as many other people. I love how it stirs the emotions in you. Some will make you cry, some will make you laugh, and some will make you plain angry. I made a mini list of books for anyone interested in getting into poetry.
1. And Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
This is Maya Angelou’s third volume of poetry. What’s the most amazing thing about it is that it was published in the most productive period in her career. Through her poems, she celebrates life’s truths and reveals the truths in often told lies.
2. Love is a Dog from Hell by Charles Bukowski
This is one of Bukowski’s classic books. Created in the mid-seventies, his poems are lyrical, raw, heartbreaking, and express the limits of love.
3. Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
Rupi Kaur’s collection of poems are about survival. They are divided into 4 themed chapters, each serving a different purpose. They address the prevalent themes of abuse, love, loss, violence, and femininity.
4. Le Fleurs du Mal by Charles Baudelaire
Les Fleurs du Mal or, The Flowers of Evil, by Charles Baudelaire, is a french poetry book that was first published in 1857. It was created during the modernist and symbolist movements, discussing themes of eroticism and decadence.
5. The Princess Saves Herself in This One by Amanda Lovelace
This collection is similar to Milk and Honey as it also is divided into 4 four themed parts. Written with the raw emotion of life experiences, this collection deals with self-discovery, reflection, pain, and suffering.
6. The Book of Light by Lucille Clifton
The poems are powerful and lyrical in this one. They play with bible stories and include dramatic monologues. Clifton’s power is tightly constructed as her words breathe light to this world.