The Mermaid's Voice Returns in This One by Amanda Lovelace, 208 Pages

I've fallen in love with Amanda Lovelace's work, and recommend it to anyone who is interested in poetry but struggles with it, like myself. Lovelace's poems are very contemporary and I find them easier to connect with in my own life, which makes it a more enjoyable read, in my opinion! This is the third book in her Women are Some Kind of Magic series.

The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One by Amanda Lovelace, 208 pages

I was anxious to read this because I really enjoyed Lovelace's other book, "The Princess Saves Herself in This One". I didn't love this one as much as that one, unfortunately. I didn't find the poetry in this collection as relateable to my personal life, but still found it beautiful, nonetheless! I definitely recommend anyone who is new to poetry to pick up something by Amanda Lovelace.

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur, 204 Pages

I finished this one today, and I'm glad I read it. This was another one that I didn't love, but it was beautiful, nonetheless. This poetry by Kaur was definitely more sad than The Sun and Her Flowers,  but it is so neat to read as the author goes through her healing process. 

"We are all born so beautiful. The greatest tragedy is being convinced we are not."

The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur, 256 Pages

I read this one in another attempt to give poetry a chance. I've seen and heard so much about Kaur and her work, so I was anxious to read this one, especially after enjoying the last book of poetry I read so much. Unfortunately, this one fell flat for me. I didn't dislike it, but it didn't feel quite as relateable as the last book I read. I did bookmark a few poems that were absolutely beautiful, but overall, this one just didn't do it for me. 

The Princess Saves Herself In This One by Amanda Lovelace, 156 Pages

I will admit- I've never been a big fan of poetry. I think the cause of this is all the "classic" poetry I was forced to read in high school. This just put a bad taste in my mouth for the genre all together, so I've avoided it ever since... until now. I've been seeing lots of buzz around this book, and then I assisted with a poetry display at my branch, which convinced me to give it a go. I'M SO GLAD I DID! This poet writes about love, loss, femininity and so many other topics, in extremely relatable context. The emotion is pouring out of the pages as you read it, and I really can't recommend it enough. 

The Soul Is Here For Its Own Joy: Sacred Poems from Many Cultures-Edited with Introduction by Robert Bly, 268 pages

  I picked this book up because I like Robert Bly’s writing, not realizing that he’d edited rather than written the collection of poems inside.

  After my initial few seconds of disappointment, I was excited to read such a variety of voices. When I write, I’m certainly inspired by others, and Bly is one poet who inspires me. What a treat, to read his arrangement of poems, to interact with words that inspire him!

  The book features poems by authors familiar to me such as Ranier Maria Rilke, Emily Dickinson, and William Butler Yeats, and it also contains old works from Eastern minds (such as Rumi, Lalla, and Hafez) who were new to me. The collection includes selections from more than 30 different poets from different times and lands. Each poem incorporates a concept of soul, a favorite topic of mine. I appreciated the section divisions, Bly’s brief introductions to each one, and the fact that Bly translated many of the poems himself.

 I’ve finished the book that now sits with several dog-eared pages to which I intend to return. Don't worry; this one is my own. I didn't deface a library book. I promise.

Blacks by Gwendolyn Brooks, 512 pages

  After hearing Gwendolyn Brooks read her poetry in person aloud once in her 72^nd year of life, I learned to listen for her voice as I read her poems. Blacks contains a large selection of her work from 1945-1971, poems vividly depicting particular black people with lots of interesting, individual characters in particular settings doing particular things characteristic of themselves . . . like word video portraits. I own this volume and return to it now and then . . . always glad to spend a little time with a former Poet Laureate of my home state of Illinois. Gwendolyn Brooks was an admirable woman of words and remains so beyond her lifetime thanks to her poetry.

Bicycles: Love Poems by Nikki Giovanni 109 pages

A beautiful, funny, witty, sad, hopeful, inspiring book of poems by the poet Nikki Giovanni.

Ego-tripping and Other Poems for Young People by Nikki Giovanni, 37 pages

The award winning poet, Nikki Giovanni, is visiting St. Joseph in April and will be offering a public presentation on April 6th, on the MWSU campus. 

I didn't want to miss this chance to meet Ms. Giovanni but wanted to brush up on her poetry so checked out some books from the library.  This book, originally published in 1974, is still relevant today and is about growing up black.  Race, and how we treat each other, is still an unresolved issue and that makes this book of poetry timeless, for now.