Four Books of Poetry to Give You Hope

We all know that sometimes poetry is hard to take in. In college as an English major I always gravitated away from poetry. All my classes spent all their time telling me what poetry meant instead of encouraging me to find out what it meant for me and my life. Sometimes poetry just feels too big or unrelatable or like too much work, and it wasn’t until a few years after college that I found my way back to poetry.

Here are some of my favorite books of poetry that will fill you up with beautiful feelings and make the world seem a little more hopeful.

B – Sarah Kay

I first found my way to spoken word poet Sarah Kay with a video of her Ted Talk If I Should Have a Daughter. I was captivated and immediate sought out as much of her work as I could. Kay’s work is beautiful and bright filled with truth. You can’t go wrong with any of Kay’s books or videos of her spoken word poetry on YouTube.

Chasers of the Light – Tyler Knott Gregson

Tyler Knott Gregson first started writing poetry on his typewriter and posting them on Instagram. Sometimes his poetry features different styles like blackout poetry. Since then he has published a number of collections of his poetry often including poetry from his IG. Gregson’s poetry focuses on life moments, sometimes small intimate moments or grand gestures. If you want a sneak peek before you buy a book check out his instagram @tylerknott.

The Princess saves herself in this one – Amanda Lovelace

I found Amanda Lovelace late last year and anxiously waited for her to republish her debut collection. This book consists of four parts. The first three sections introduce the readers to Lovelace and the fourth is a note to the reader. This collection explores love, loss, grief, healing, empowerment, and inspiration, and it’s full of heartbreak and beauty like most of life.

After Party – Jana Prikryl

I was sent this collection late last year by Blogging for Books and was thrilled with Prikryl’s writing. Prikryl’s poems are unique in their style and content spanning generations and cultures around the globe. After Party is Prikyl’s first foray into published poetry and her voice is a vibrant and sad.

Tell us your favorite poetry collections on Twitter @litdarling.