April is the month when our region awakens from winter, and the buds appear, and the sunshine at last breaks through the clouds, so it is fitting that April is dedicated to poetry, in all its evocative explorations of life. There is truly a poem for everyone. Be sure to check out some of these wonderful new poetry collections at the library this month.
Have you taken up this summer’s challenge of Reading Takes You Everywhere? If Destination P: Read a Collection of Poetry is a stop on your journey, perhaps one of these books will get you there! Check out the first lines of these five books to see if any pique your interest.
Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
Leaves of Grass by Walk Whitman
Selected Poems by E. E. Cummings
In the Mecca by Gwendolyn Brooks
Love Her Wild by Atticus
The Hunchback of Neiman Marcus: A Novel about Marriage, Motherhood, and Mayhem by Sonya Sones is referred to as “chick lit” in poetry format by a 50ish-year-old woman going through a tough time. I read this in two hours and had my own epiphany. Life changing? Maybe not for all, but definitely an interesting voice for those in the “sandwich generation.”
Have you taken up this summer’s challenge of Reading Takes You Everywhere? Enjoy this book for either of the following categories:
A. Read a book written by a new-to-you author.
P. Read a collection of poetry.
fiction:
the ocean
i dive
headfirst
into
when i
can
no longer
breathe
in
reality.
– a mermaid escapist II
People come to poetry with all sorts of preconceptions: it has to be complicated, it has to rhyme, or it is just not for me. A crop of up-and-coming writers has helped new audiences find appeal in playing with expression, and Amanda Lovelace’s Women Are Magic series sparks strong reaction. The Princess Saves Herself in This One taps into feeling and thought and trauma and joy in a way that speaks to those who struggle to feel seen or understood. It faces hard things without giving them additional power, and it clings stubbornly to youthful hope. With forewarnings both for sensitive topics and for happy endings, this inaugural collection offers energy and accessibility. Welcome to National Poetry Month!
“Poetry allows for us to lead first with the heart.” –Eve Ewing
If you don’t read poetry often and are curious to read more, Electric Arches is a great place to start. Eve L. Ewing, Chicago essayist and poet, frankly explores contemporary society, sprinkling a little magical what-if into stark reality. The structure and tone vary greatly from poem-to-poem, resulting in a rounded picture of Ewing’s life and heart as she opens the door into her experience as a black girl and woman. An extra bonus for those familiar with Chicago are the references Ewing makes to this city she has grown up in, painting pictures of places impactful to her, such as Logan Square and Fullerton Avenue.
