Poetry

José Olivarez writes with masterful complexity, yet his poems are accessible even to the “I don’t understand poetry” readers of the world. In Promises of Gold, he has odes to brotherhood, heartbreak, Mexican culture, and the idea of punching Jeff Bezos. In a casual tone reminiscent of Ross Gay and Danez Smith, Olivarez invites his readers to dance, grieve, and laugh alongside him. José Olivarez makes good on his word: Each poem in this collection is dripping with gold. 

—Holly

On the first page Monica Youn says, “To mention the Asianness of the figures is also to mention, by implication, the Asianness of the poet.” This sets the tone for the entire collection as Youn mixes her life experience with an analysis of race in America. At times her analysis strays from the poetic genre but always manages to seamlessly blend back into her lyrical takes on the matter. 

—Ian

There is something so unflinchingly naked about Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe’s writing that I found myself wanting to look away at times, only to be pulled back into her treacherous and majestic language. LaPointe draws inspiration from folklore, tarot, and Indigenous heritage to craft a sort of manual for healing. This collection feels like a tapestry of womanhood—and of the violence, beauty, and hunger that comes along with it.

—Holly

Sometimes you just read poetry to feel things. (Most times I just read poetry to feel things.) And, wow, is my heart wondrously weighted down by Meltwater, filled up to the brim. Claire Wahmanholm writes with such lyricism, a playfulness with words, a symphony of sound, that it almost soothes away the dread of oncoming collision between family, future, and ecological disaster. There is formal drought and deluge in this collection, some poems scatter along, biting and smart, others are elegiac, graceful, knowing—all have moved me. 

—Melinda

Poet Laureate Joy Harjo has selected 50 of her best poems from the past 50 years for this truly evocative and intimate collection of poetry. With her attention finely tuned to heritage, femininity, and our relationship with nature and sense of place, Harjo takes us on a journey through her youth as she discovers her own voice, up into her adulthood as she contemplates the deeply human truths of the present. Heart-wrenching and hopeful, this collection is unforgettable.

—Magnolia

This world simply does not deserve Franny Choi. And by that I mean, where would we be without her poetry—anomalous as it sometimes is? In this latest collection, Choi considers the singularity of death, the science fiction of survival, the anachronism of love amidst the end of the world. Each poem is a life raft and also a knife. This is the book you hand someone who tells you, “poetry can’t change the world.”

—Holly

Cerebral, gorgeous, and personal, this collection is one that you might feel deep in your gut. It can be hard to believe this is the author’s debut poetry collection. Powles is an award-winning writer of many forms, and their poetry is sure to join the ranks of their other writing. Read “Night Train to Anyang,” my favorite in this collection.  
—MJ

“The end of the world leaked music like radiation, and we loved the neon echo.” In this devastating yet illuminating collection, Jones asserts that we are living through small apocalypses every day. He pulls no punches in his naming of racism, violence, and power, and his lyricism and unflinching honesty make this collection utterly necessary.

—Holly

Tired of watching his kingdom suffer, a young prince pushes against the odds to find a golden grain that will bring his kingdom into an era of prosperity. On his journey, he encounters parts of the world that go against everything he believes in. Adventure, heart-warming friendship, and nail-biting challenges are all here in Miyazaki’s distinguished and beautiful illustrations. This is a must-have addition to any Ghibli-lover’s bookshelf! 
—KAILEY JO

In this second collection of poetry, Ocean Vuong looks at the intimacy of memory and the fleeting nature of self through the lens of his mother’s recent passing. Vuong writes with a noticeably matured and sharper voice, while playing with some more stylistically formal choices. At times quiet and always brutally honest, Time Is a Mother is another of Vuong’s masterpieces. 

—Holly