Its officially national poetry month. And I thought the best way to celebrate is to share some of my favourites. One of the things that has surprised me over the past few years of reading is my love for poetry. Especially the dark and gloomy sort, that just speaks to the heart.
“Our sweetest songs are those of saddest thought.” Percy Shelley
A collection of poems by different female authors. It’s very diverse in it’s selection of the women to. From cis to trans and everything in-between. Taking each of their experience and Turing them into some wonderfully dark poems. Perfect for the spooky season. With a couple being pretty confronting. Plus the cover is stunning.
“I refuse to be ashamed
For taking up my rightful space.
I refuse to apologize
For daring to have an opinion”
I have a pretty love hate relationship with Amanda’s poetry book’s. But this one was actually one of her best. It pushes the idea you can be soft and fierce. To stand up for yourself and be who you are. Definitely worth a read.
“I read the poems you wrote for me, she said, taking my hands in hers. Have you thought about seeing a therapist?”
If you are looking for something funny and have a dry/dark sense of humour this one’s right for you I found myself laughing out loud to most of these. It was a nice change from some of the others I’ve read. It quickly became a favourite.
“she will fall
Stick your hand out to help her up
If she is too weak to grab hold
Just lie with her on the bathroom floor”
This had some beautiful stand out lines. It was a beautiful read and I highly recommend reading this if you haven’t already. She talks about grief and the experience of being a black women. You can feel alot of these poems.
I talked about this in my wrap up last month. It’s a twisted dark read about women in folklore and history who were ill, disabled, or otherwise labelled ‘hysteric.’ and it was dark. Another good one for the spooky season.
“Silence is a quiet rebellion; it is the laying down of swords; it is all the women in me you ever hurt declaring, You don’t deserve my breath.”
This book of poems is about loss and finding love in yourself. It’s pretty empowering. It really brings home that you not only can find love in yourself but that you deserve it too.
“Yesterday I was the moon- today just an eclipse”
Noor has become one of my favourites. Her poems are always so impacted full to me. I can’t even put it in to words how much I loved reading this book I highlight poetry books everytime I come across a line or poem that jumps out at me and with this book it was nearly every page.
What are some of your favourite poetry books?
As Crazy As A Hare 