The Poetry Collections I’m Reading During National Poetry Month

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Erica Ezeifedi, an Associate Editor, moved from Nashville, TN to the Northeast where she now resides. Apart from her writing role, she has experience as a victim advocate and in public libraries, focusing on creating safe spaces for queer teens, mentorship, and offering free test prep instruction to students. Outside of work, she enjoys searching for her next favorite book and planning her next snack. You can find her on Twitter at @Erica_Eze_.

One of the perks of working at Book Riot is the exposure to literature I wouldn’t typically read. I used to read very little poetry, but after editing numerous lists of great poems by our contributors, I finally started exploring more poetry collections. The ability of poetry to succinctly delve into the essence of a subject in minimal words sometimes feels almost mystical to me, akin to the shamans of the past. This magical quality is what draws me to poetry, and I wish more people would appreciate it. If you usually don’t reach for poetry collections, I encourage you to consider exploring some during National Poetry Month. You can start with the following collections.

– “Cowboy Park” by Eduardo Martínez-leyva
– “A Map of My Want” by Faylita Hicks
– “Song of My Softening” by Omotara James

For All Access members, there are 18 new books this week by BIPOC authors. Continue reading for more details.

This week, we are featuring a post that left our Managing Editor Vanessa Diaz with strong feelings, even five years after its publication. Vanessa still holds negative sentiments towards “American Dirt.” Keep reading for an excerpt and join as an All Access member to access the full article.

In January 2020, a book with a captivating cover stirred interest on the bookish internet. The book, “American Dirt,” tells the story of a bookstore owner in Acapulco, Mexico, who is forced to flee with her young son after a tragedy. The book received significant attention and was hailed as a powerful immigration story. Despite the acclaim, it remains a divisive topic.

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