Poetry can touch hearts and change lives, so it’s the perfect gift to give to someone special to you. This holiday season, tell your loved ones what they mean to you with some thoughtfully selected poetry. Here are a few collections to consider giving to the poetry lovers in your life to show them you care.
Trigger Warning: The following collections deal with loss, grief, gun violence, and trauma. Please take caution while reading.
Please Don’t Go Before I Get Better by Madisen Kuhn
Please Don’t Go Before I Get Better is a soulful work that reflects on Kuhn’s 20s. Combining prose and poetry, Kuhn creates a picture of what many people go through in relationships and personal growth. Give this as a gift to the 20-something person in your life.
How To Maintain Eye Contact by Robert Wood Lynn
Robert Wood Lynn’s book is a short but impactful read. Touching on topics such as gun violence and loss, How to Maintain Eye Contact packs a lot of punch into its pages. It is perfect for gifting to your favorite activist.
Your Emergency Contact Has Experienced An Emergency by Chen Chen
Unapologetically queer, Your Emergency Contact Has Experienced An Emergency asks the hard questions about what it means to be queer, living through Trump’s first presidency, and Covid. In light of politics, and the current status of the world, Chen Chen is an important read that is sure to inspire the will to fight for change.
Sorry I Haven’t Texted You Back by Alicia Cook
Cook’s book of poetry deals in grief and change, and is a standout amongst other poetry books in that it has 92 ‘tracks’ of poetry that are later ‘remixed’ with the use of blacked-out text. Sorry I haven’t Texted You Back tackles mental illness and does so in an interesting way. Pick this out for the blackout poet in your life this holiday season.
The Gift of Everything by Lang Leav
A collection of poetry by Lang Leav that features her most popular poems, as well as 35 new entries, The Gift of Everything is perfect for those just getting into poetry and Lang Leav. Leav is a memorable poet, who can touch hearts with her sadness and love. The original artwork by Leav is also appealing to those who are getting into visual arts as well.
You Better Be Lightning by Andrea Gibson
Looking for something to please the feminist in your life this holiday season? You Better Be Lighting is a great choice that touches on many topics affecting women, LGBTQIA, and those looking to self-reflect. Gibson captures the anger, grief, and frustration that they go through in a heartbreakingly beautiful manner.
Toy Gun by Matt Coonan
Matt Coonan’s Toy Gun captures adolescence perfectly and is something that will please any poetry fan looking to reflect on their own teenage years. Rife with violence and trauma, the book will make the reader pause and think about their morals, and what is right and wrong. Dark and unapologetic, Coonan’s poetry is sure to wake emotions in the reader.
Gift your favorite poetry reader with something that will change the way they think about the world this holiday season. Poetry is supposed to be evocative and make one think, so it makes the perfect present.
For more poetry, check out this article.
For more recommendations, try our Poetry Shelf on Bookshop.org.
