Poetry Books reviews from Reddit
Summary
We analyzed 163 Reddit reviews across 13 subreddits and 50 posts to rank the best Poetry Books brands recommended by redditors, including communities like r/suggestmeabook, r/Poetry, r/booksuggestions, r/books, r/Indianbooks. Top-rated brands include Mary Oliver (5.0/5), Shel Silverstein (5.0/5), Walt Whitman (5.0/5).
Stats
Reviews163
Subreddits13
Posts50
Brands85
Products76
163 reviews from
and
By Brand
/By Product
#1
Mary Oliver
5.0
(18)
"Big fan of Felicity by Mary Oliver."
"Devotions by Mary Oliver."
"Mary Oliver - Devotions..."
"Anything by Mary Oliver"
"I usually recommend Mary Oliver."
"I just bought Devotions by Mary Oliver and am enjoying it as a newer poetry reader."
"I love Mary Oliver."
"Mary Oliver."
"Her work is often very 'universal' in how it speaks to people."
"Devotions - Mary Oliver"
#2
Shel Silverstein
5.0
(7)
"Whimsical and a bit creepy but great themes."
"Teaches the important lesson that poetry can be fun."
"{{Where The Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein}}."
"Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein!"
"Shel Silverstein's *Where the Sidewalk Ends*."
"Shel Silverstein"
#3
Walt Whitman
5.0
(6)
"Walt Whitman - Leaves of Grass..."
"Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman. Every line is a visual image."
"Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman."
"Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman is a poetry collection, and a good place to start."
"Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman"
#4
Sylvia Plath
5.0
(4)
"Ariel by Sylvia Plath. Her poetry is visceral and haunting."
"Ariel by Sylvia Plath."
"Sylvia Plath - yes, the lady that put her head in the oven at 30yrs old. Her poems tear your heart in two."
"Ariel by Sylvia Plath, I also had a selected poems of Allen Ginsberg, I really enjoy reading that."
#5
Richard Siken
4.8
(4)
"Crush by Richard Siken."
"War of the Foxes and Crush by Richard Siken."
"*Crush* by Richard Siken."
#6
Warsan Shire
4.8
(4)
"I would suggest Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth."
"Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth by Warsan Shire."
"It's one of my favorite books of all time."
"If you like Rupi Kaur maybe try *Teaching My Mother How To Give Birth* by Warsan Shire."
#7
M.Icon
4.5
(4)
"Poetry book called- Meraki: a collection of poetry for every heart, by M.Icon was great from Amazon."
"Poetry book called Meraki: a collection of poetry for every heart, by M.Icon was great from Amazon."
"Meraki by M.Icon or Pillow thoughts were good"
"Meraki by M.Icon was great! Got it on Amazon."
#8
Robert Frost
5.0
(3)
"I love Robert Frost."
"I would head straight to Robert Frost tbh."
#9
Ted Kooser
5.0
(3)
"Delights & Shadows by Ted Kooser, Swan by Mary Oliver, and The Trouble with Poetry by Billy Collins are my recommendations."
"Ted Kooser: Delights & Shadows"
"The Poetry Home Repair Manual by Ted Kooser is also engaging and conversational."
#10
Louise Gluck
4.7
(3)
"Not sure if she has been suggested yet, but Louise Gluck is lovely to read."
"Louise Gluck."
"Louise Gluck. Her poems are complex and layered."
#11
Frances Mayes
4.7
(3)
"The Discovery of Poetry- Frances Mayes"
"Frances Mayes, The Discovery of Poetry"
"Check out The Discovery of Poetry by Frances Mayes."
#12
T.S. Eliot
4.7
(3)
"The waste land by TS Eliot"
"And I seem to always go back to T.S. Eliot."
"Personally, I'm a TS Eliot fangirl."
#13
Tracy K. Smith
4.3
(3)
"I also found Life on Mars by Tracy K Smith enchanting."
"Life On Mars by Tracy K. Smith is a good one!"
"I really enjoyed Tracy K Smith’s Life on Mars."
#14
Rupi Kaur
4.0
(3)
"Milk and honey by Rupi Kaur"
"Check out if Rupi Kaur is your style (for example Milk and Honey)."
"I've enjoyed Rupi Kaur recently."
#15
Langston Hughes
5.0
(2)
"I always found Langston Hughes very accessible in college."
"Langston Hughes' poetry is moving and easy to read."
#16
Stephen Fry
5.0
(2)
"3. The Ode Less Travelled by Stephen Fry"
"The Ode Less Travelled by Stephen Fry is pretty good."
#17
Chen Chen
5.0
(2)
"I'd highly recommend Chen Chen's debut poetry collection."
"Chen Chen, “When I grow up I want to be a list of further possibilities.”"
#18
Fiona Benson
5.0
(2)
"WINNER OF THE 2019 FORWARD PRIZE. Violence hangs over this book like an electric storm."
"I loved Vertigo and Ghost by Fiona Benson."
#19
Amanda Lovelace
5.0
(2)
"Amanda Lovelace 100%."
"You should check out Amanda Lovelace and Lang Leav if you’re looking for contemporary poetry!"
#20
Kaveh Akbar
5.0
(2)
"My personal favorites."
"Kaveh Akbar's *Calling a Wolf a Wolf*. It's a beautiful book about addiction and recovery."
#21
Pablo Neruda
5.0
(2)
"20 poems and songs by Pablo Neruda or really anything by him."
"Pablo Neruda is my favorite poet."
#22
Dr. Anjani Anand
5.0
(2)
"I'd highly recommend reading "Love, Loss and the Space Between" by Dr Anjani Anand. It has beautiful poems about letting the past go, mental health and finding love again."
"I'd highly recommend reading "Love, Loss and the Space Between" by Dr Anjani Anand. It has beautiful poems about letting the past go, mental health and finding love again."
#23
Billy Collins
5.0
(2)
"Aimless Love by Billy Collins"
"Charming, accessible."
#24
Nikita Gill
5.0
(2)
"I like Nikita Gill's poetry. Maybe you could try her books."
"I like Nikita Gill's poetry. Maybe you could try her books."
#25
Rainer Maria Rilke
5.0
(2)
"Start with Letters to a Young Poet and The Selected Poetry of RMR."
"So is “Letters to a Young Poet” by Rilke."
#26
Matthew Zapruder
5.0
(2)
"Agree with Zapruder's book. Fascinating, entertaining, and accessible for any reader of poetry."
"1. Why Poetry by Matthew Zapruder"
#27
Ada Limon
5.0
(2)
"Also highly recommend Ada Limon’s Bright Dead Things."
"Bright Dead Things by Ada Limón."
#28
Garrison Keillor
5.0
(2)
"Good Poems is a compilation edited by Garrison Keillor."
"The anthology Good Poems, selected by Garrison Keillor, is a nice collection that covers a lot of terrain."
#29
Edward Hirsch
5.0
(2)
"Not a book of poems, but a book for readers of poetry: How To Read A Poem by Edward Hirsch."
"I recommend "100 poems to break your heart." It's the book I wish I had years ago when I wanted to learn about poetry."
#30
Gregory Orr
5.0
(2)
"Gregory Orr's *A Primer for Poets and Readers of Poetry* is truly insightful."
"*Poetry as Survival* (Gregory Orr) is an excellent and compelling look at how poetry helps people navigate trauma."
#31
Wendell Berry
5.0
(2)
"Wendell Berry - Collected Poems..."
"Wendell Berry - Sabbath Poems..."
#32
Charles Bukowski
5.0
(2)
"Charles Bukowski - writes the most searing, low down poems from the vantage point of alcoholism. Shocking poems."
"Last Night of The Earth Poems by Bukowski is my personal faves."
#33
Danez Smith
4.5
(2)
"Are two of my faves."
"Danez Smith."
#34
Philip Larkin
4.5
(2)
"Philip Larkin was the poet who really made me love poetry."
"Good and easy."
#35
Harivanshrai Bachchan
4.5
(2)
"Mandatory ones that everyone should read."
"Try madhushala to begin with IMO."
#36
Bloodaxe
4.5
(2)
"You might enjoy the 'Staying Alive' anthology from Bloodaxe."
"It's a mixed bag but it's really good value for money & you will find stuff in there you like."
#37
Atticus
4.0
(2)
"My girlfriend is really fond of a contemporary poet called Atticus. Lots of love and relationship type stuff."
"Have heard good things about Atticus."
#38
Emily Dickinson
4.0
(2)
"I personally quite like Emily Dickinson's poetry books, very quirky, especially for its time"
"Audible Plus has an included audiobook, “Emily Dickinson”. Includes commentary, letters, and poems."
#39
Rainer Marie Rilke, Rumi, Jae Nichelle
5.0
(1)
"For some lovier stuff, try Rainer Marie Rilke. Also Rumi. God Themselves by Jae Nichelle - a lovely and moving collection."
#40
Rudy Francisco
5.0
(1)
"Helium by Rudy Francisco"
#41
E.A. Poe
5.0
(1)
"The complete collected works of E. A. Poe. He's a really romantic poet."
#42
Richard Hugo
5.0
(1)
"*Triggering Towns* by Richard Hugo is a great one for identifying what fuels your writing."
#43
Everyman
5.0
(1)
"Everyman has a beautiful series they call pocket poets -- themed collections about just about any topic you can think of."
#44
Kenneth Rexroth & Ikuko Atsumi
5.0
(1)
"Women Poets of Japan by Kenneth Rexroth & Ikuko Atsumi. It's one of my favorites"
#45
John Berryman
5.0
(1)
"John Berryman. The Dream Songs."
#46
Andrew Hodgson
5.0
(1)
"*The Cambridge Guide to Reading Poetry* by Andrew Hodgson"
#47
Adam Bradley
5.0
(1)
"The Book of Rhymes- Adam Bradley"
#48
Lewis Turco
5.0
(1)
"Lewis Turco's *The Book of Forms*. It's a wonderful reference covering hundreds of poetic forms."
#49
Edgar Lee Masters
5.0
(1)
"Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters"
#50
Czeslaw Milosz
5.0
(1)
"Selected and Last Poems 1931-2004 - Czeslaw Milosz"
#51
Anna Akhmatova
5.0
(1)
"Anna Akhmatova. Selected Poems."
#52
Gary Snyder
5.0
(1)
"Gary Snyder - Riprap and Cold Mountain Poems..."
#53
John Keene
5.0
(1)
"*Punks: New and Selected Poems* by John Keene"
#54
Seamus Heaney
5.0
(1)
"Opened Ground - Seamus Heaney"
#55
Carol Ann Duffy
5.0
(1)
"Carol Ann Duffy"
#56
Keats
5.0
(1)
"Keats."
#57
Natalie Diaz, Nate Marshall
5.0
(1)
"Post Colonial Love Poem by Natalie Diaz is great. Finna by Nate Marshall is also very good and has a contemporary vibe."
#58
Kenneth Sherman, Michael Ondaatje
5.0
(1)
"Words for Elephant Man by Kenneth Sherman. The Collected Works of Billy the Kid by Michael Ondaatje."
#59
Ocean Vuong
5.0
(1)
"Try On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous the poetic prose broke my heart."
#60
Wallace Stevens
5.0
(1)
"Harmonium or Ideas of Order by Wallace Stevens"
#61
The Map and the Clock, Keats, Dylan Thomas, Christina Rossetti, John Clare
5.0
(1)
"A good anthology is The Map and the Clock. I also recommend Keats, Dylan Thomas, Christina Rossetti, and John Clare."
#62
Franny Choi
5.0
(1)
"Franny Choi, “Floating Brilliant Gone.”"
#63
Ada Limón, Maggie Nelson, Mark Doty, Patti Smith, Anne Carson, Ocean Vuong, Margaret Atwood, Louise Glück, Mary Oliver, Richard Siken
5.0
(1)
"Ada Limón's Bright Dead Things, Maggie Nelson's Bluets, Mark Doty's Still Life with Oysters and Lemon, anything by Patti Smith, Anne Carson, Ocean Vuong, Margaret Atwood, Louise Glück, Mary Oliver and Richard Siken."
#64
Saeed Jones
5.0
(1)
"Prelude to a Bruise by Saeed Jones"
#65
Mark Doty
5.0
(1)
"I’d definitely recommend Mark Doty’s work, the book I mentioned is one of my all-time favorite books."
#66
Philip Gross
5.0
(1)
"Philip Gross is a T. S. Eliot prize winner who also writes children's books."
#67
Shane Koyczan
5.0
(1)
"I suggest starting with Shane Koyczan."
#68
W.B. Yeats
5.0
(1)
"Try Yeats's romantic poems"
#69
Anne Sexton
5.0
(1)
"Anne Sexton is also fantastic- I like the one based on fairy tales"
#70
Wendy Cope
5.0
(1)
"Anything by Wendy Cope"
#71
Emily Brontë
5.0
(1)
"I love her poetry."
#72
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
5.0
(1)
"Mandatory ones that everyone should read."
#73
Omar El Akkad
5.0
(1)
"It's a great entry book."
#74
Christopher Reid
5.0
(1)
"*The Song of Lunch*, by Christopher Reid. It's one long poem, but it's truly beautiful."
#75
Edna St. Vincent Millay
4.0
(1)
"Edna St. Vincent Millay. She was a flapper! This is not contemporary, but I would say your other description would work for her."
#76
Only You
4.0
(1)
"Check out Only You if you like Sapphic themes, Emotional and romantic poems, short yet sweet collections."
#77
Rod McKuen
4.0
(1)
"Rod McKuen does sadly evocative love poetry."
#78
Ives Phillips
4.0
(1)
"Motel 8 by Ives Phillips. I don't know their gender, since they're not very open about their identity but that book is super solid!"
#79
Harold Bloom
4.0
(1)
"Technically for children but there are a lot of very classic and sweet poems in there."
#80
Dragon School
4.0
(1)
"It's organised by theme : (The Sea, Animals etc). The only disadvantage is that there are no love poems."
#81
Edgar Allan Poe
4.0
(1)
"I believe there's a book on the complete works of Edgar Allan Poe."
#82
Brian Bilston
4.0
(1)
"For more humorous poems I like Brian Bilston, but the humour is quite British so depends where you’re from!"
#83
Lilith's Legacy
4.0
(1)
"Other than Sappho's work, you can take a look at: * [*Lilith's Legacy: Prose Poems and Short Stories*]"
#84
William Harmon
4.0
(1)
"Good poetry books to start out with."
#85
Kate Fussner
4.0
(1)
"I really enjoyed it."
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