From Shakepeare to Neruda, the greats in poetry are often celebrated – but the world of literature hasn’t stopped evolving! From political writers to confessional scribes, here are some of our favourite modern poetry books to read.
One of the most artistic and varied forms of literature, poetry can be daring, relaxing, political, and uncomfortable. While your average bookstore will likely stock the legendary poets like Walt Whitman, Sylvia Plath, T. S. Eliot, and Maya Angelou, there’ve also been an abundance of recent great poets from the 21st century. This was a time when more diverse voices finally got the spotlight and thus brought a new wave of creativity to the scene. Whether you’re a poetry lover or a casual reader, take a look at our curated list of modern poetry books to read for your next typhoon day in or coffee shop visit.
Best modern poetry books to read
1. Devotions by Mary Oliver
With a National Book Award and a Pulitzer Prize to her name, Mary Oliver was one of the most influential poets of her time. An avid walker, Oliver wrote many of her works based on observations of nature and herself. One of her later collections, Devotions, allows you to step into the poetic imagery that largely defines Oliver’s works. Through Oliver’s personal selection of her best work, readers get to explore poems from throughout the poet’s career. Get ready to be transported through beautifully timeless poems into the natural world, where trees, animals, and the sky all contribute to the exploration of the human experience.
2. The Wild Iris by Louise Glück
American poet and essayist Louise Glück has been a Poet Laureate of the United States, as well as a winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the 2020 Nobel Prize in Literature. The poetry book that won her the Pulitzer, The Wild Iris, is a candid exploration of being human, the natural world, and the spiritual realm. Glück’s precise and lyrical prose, and occasional heavy subjects bring readers through the universal themes of nature, humanity, and self-reflection.
3. Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine
A poet, essayist, and playwright who once studied under Louise Glück, Jamaican-born American writer Claudia Rankine has emerged as a powerful voice in modern poetry. One of her seminal works, Citizen: An American Lyric, is definitely not your typical read. This book-length poem gives a searing look into the rising racism in the 21st century, stretching the conventions of lyric poetry and even incorporating some visual media. Unpacking the theme of self-identity, as well as discussing the racist incidents that involved Serena Williams, Trayvon Martin, and Mark Duggan, Rankine gives a dynamic view of both herself as a Black woman and the world at large.
4. Time is a Mother by Ocean Vuong
The second poetry collection by queer Vietnamese-American poet and novelist Ocean Vuong, Time is a Mother is a bold and intimate examination of the writer himself as well as humanity. Contending with the meaning of family and the struggles of grief, Vuong’s poems explore the intricacies of life in the aftermath of his mother’s death. By creating vivid imagery of scenes from Vietnam and the US, Vuong adds an emotional punch to this poignant collection.
5. Bright Dead Things by Ada Limón
The 24th Poet Laureate of the United States (and first Latina honoree), Ada Limón is quickly becoming one of the most interesting voices in the world of poetry. Bright Dead Things has Limón intimately detailing her personal journey, her exploration of the world, and connections with nature. With a distinctive voice throughout this poetry collection, Limón doesn’t shy away from emotion and is always able to engage the reader in her thrilling prose.
6. American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin by Terrance Hayes
A recipient of the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship, Terrance Hayes doesn’t evade sensitive topics and often plays with the rules of poetic structures in his poems. Hayes wrote American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin after the 2016 US presidential election, addressing the themes of racism, politics, masculinity, and his existence as a Black man in America. Rather than following the traditional sonnet scheme, Hayes adheres to the loose structure of the American sonnet first popularised by poet Wanda Coleman. The collection of 70 sonnets cover contemporary socio-political issues as well as hate, hope, and redemption in cultural society.
7. Stag’s Leap by Sharon Olds
Sharon Olds’ extremely personal and emotional poems helped validate the themes of womanhood and women’s everyday life back in the 70s and 80s. Many of Old’s confessional poems deal with topics like sensuality, family relationships, politics, and domestic struggle. Although the book Stag’s Leap was published in 2013, some of the poems included were first written in 1997 – after the dissolution of her marriage. Exploring the pain of divorce in visceral detail, the book eventually won a Pulitzer Prize.
8. The Best of It: New and Selected Poems by Kay Ryan
Another Pulitzer Prize winner, Kay Ryan was the first openly lesbian Poet Laureate of the United States. Compared to the likes of Emily Dickinson and Marianne Moore, Ryan often writes compact poems full of internal rhyme. Like many poetry books to read featuring personally selected pieces by the poets themselves, The Best of It: New and Selected Poems features many highlights from the 45 years of Ryan’s career. The elements of wit, heart, and tight prose that have distinguished Ryan’s work are on display, with concise lyrics that are accessible for anyone wanting to dip their toe into poetry.
