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An American Sunrise
By Joy Harjo
An exciting new collection of work from the new United States Poet Laureate, Joy Harjo. This book describes the tribal removal from Native land during the Trail of Tears brought on by the passing of the Indian Removal Act in 1830 by Andrew Jackson. Family is the ground at which Harjo weaves her narrative of loss and community. A beautiful meditation on the lineage of land and the heart of a nation.
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Arias
By Sharon Olds
One of the smartest poets on the scene and rightfully celebrated, Sharon Olds only gets better with age. I dare you to pick up Arias and read the first poem and not want to read all the rest. For longtime fans and for people who don’t normally read poetry, this collection is a great gift for everyone with a beating heart.
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The Carrying
By Ada Limón
Ada Limón writes poems that straddle the line between narrative and figurative, telling stories and creating characters with bursts of image that’ll make your eyes tear up. The Carrying is an apt title for a collection that concerns itself with grief, but Limón does not mope: instead, this book shows that life has many tones, from sadness to joy, and Limón wants to embrace them all.
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Dunce
By Mary Ruefle
Simply delightful. Some of the best by one of the best, beautiful in both form and content. Think deeper, feel harder, read Ruefle. For your mother, for your lover, for yourself, for all those who cherish the written word.
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Felon
By Reginald Dwayne Betts
“The things that abandon you get remembered different” starts one of the poems in this new collection by Reginald Dwayne Betts, who is also a spokesperson for the Campaign for Youth Justice. Filled with heavy sentiment for both experiences in and out of prison, and the difficulties of reintegrating into society, Felon is perfect for the person who loves prison reform, Hanif Abdurraqib, and needs some wokeness points.
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A Fortune for Your Disaster
By Hanif Abdurraqib
This book bleeds. What we mean is, it feels alive. Abdurraqib talks about grief and rebuilding in inspiring, non-trauma-porny ways, fusing 90s iconography and Hip Hop together to process personal history and provide a space for healing. Fans of his will love this, as will fans of Kiese Laymon, Ross Gay, and Sharon Olds.
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