10 Poetry Books For The Traveler

Made of Rivers by Emory Hall

In Emory Hall’s Made of Rivers, the path takes the shape of a great river, coursing through the shallows and shoals of the human heart. Each twist and turn transforms our perspectives into tributaries that reach a great ocean of Love that gravity cannot escape.

Climate by Whitney Hanson

Climate by Whitney Hanson is a treatise on change, navigating the constant transformations in our lives we witness both internally and externally. From heartbreak to weather patterns, this complex title puts an emphasis on embracing the beauty of change and the significance of enduring these experiences as we become more present with our shifting interpretations of reality.

If Hearts Had Training Wheels by Ellen Everett

If Hearts Had Training Wheels by Ellen Everett is a collection of poetry centered around the theme of cycling. Each poem takes the reader for a ride along to various destinations, taken from Everett’s experiences on her bicycle. From ‘The Gravel Driveway’ to ‘The Downhill Coast’, the author communicates these moments in time as metaphors for living, and though falls, unexpected turns, and uphill climbs are inevitable, each trip we take is significant and meaningful.

We Are Owed by Ariana Brown

Reflections on the benefits of diversity is not uncommon in poetry collections. Ariana Brown’s We Are Owed provides a deep dive into challenging traditional conventions of identity and how we identify ourselves as humans in the world. This work wholly rejects nationalistic and conventional categorizations and instead seeks to increase an understanding of Black consciousness and identity, in light of our history and genealogical understanding of place.

By weaving her own experiences into the craft of poetry, Brown connects with other historical and diverse figures to present a new understanding of identity and self-awareness.

Lace and Pyrite by Ross Gay and Aimee Nezhukumatathil

Lace and Pyrite: Letters from Two Gardens is a poetry title by two poets: Ross Gay and Aimee Nezhukumatathil. This work seeks to comment on the seasonality and changes observed from the perspective of the authors’ two respective gardens. As life unfolds around them, the observations therein lend to our understanding of the illusion of a static life.

In The Hour Of War: Poetry from Ukraine

Ukraine is a region that’s experienced deep change in their daily lives and routine. This collection seeks to capture the language and circumstance of war, commemorating Ukraine’s global fight for democracy and human rights. You really feel the stories as they seek to translate the complexities and ineffability of war into words.

As She Appears by Shelley Wong

Through the lens of a queer woman of color, Wong provides impressions of her own journey. Deeply personal, tragic, and heartfelt, the poet celebrates and reflects on past relationships. The poems showcase art as a means of processing the world and circumstance, reinforced by her connection with the natural world.

Love and Wine by Alex Diaz

Love and Wine by Alex Diaz provides a captivating reflection on love—how it manifests in romantic, friendship, familial, and self-love. In Diaz, we find a modern poetic voice inviting the reader to experience and recall past and present connections.

An Absurd Palate by Alysa Levi-d’Ancona

The poet invites us to partake in a progressive meal that spans themes covering ‘overt appetites’ and ‘subverted expectations’. Upon each literary delight, the reader will resonate with a blend of poetry and fiction in ways that are fresh and satiating.

For Now I’ll Just Be Okay .002 by Grace Gellatly

For Now I’ll Just Be Okay .002 by Grace Gellatly charts a course toward healing and self-acceptance. This work tells a singular story of growing up, heartbreak, travel, and disenchantment that offers a literary companion to readers traversing their own journey.