Books
Whether you’re a die-hard poetry fan or have little interest in the art you’ll almost certainly have heard of Rupi Kaur. The acclaimed poet and creative shot to fame with her debut collection Milk and Honey in 2014. She has since released The Sun and Her Flowers, received Sunday Times and New York Times Number One Bestseller status, and won the GoodReads Choice Award for Poetry 2017. She’s an online phenomenon opening up poetry to so many. So, if your copy of Milk and Honey is as dog-eared as mine here seven poets you’ll love if you like Rupi Kaur.
Kaur has been heralded as being at the forefront of a new generation of instapoets — artists who are using social media to spread their work and images to reach a new audience. I’m not ashamed to admit that prior to discovering Kaur's work I didn’t think poetry was for me. The simplicity of her writing paired with beautiful images, and discussion of the female experience spoke to me, like so many of her 3.7 million instagram followers. Kaur is only one writer in this new wave of young, female poets sharing their work online and writing about the things that many of us have been through—growing up, juggling identities, maintaining relationships, and painful loss. Here are seven poets to follow, read, and invest in if you love Rupi Kaur.
1Fariha Róisín
Fariha Róisín has documented her thoughts and expereinces as a young, queer, Muslim femme in How To Cure A Ghost, published by Abrams Image. You’ll hold onto her every word. The Australian Canadian writer has used her debut collection to discuss intersectionality, race, pop culture, queerness, and so much more. Her writing is intensely vulnerable and through revealing her own experience she reflects so many others. Speaking about Róisín’s work Kaur said in a statement, “Fariha’s writing has the power to heal and transform. She pulls you into her stories until you’re at the edge of your seat, emphatically rooting for her subjects.”
2Charly Cox
Another creative who has uses instagram to spread her amazing work is Charly Cox. She may only be in her early twenties but Cox already has a best-selling collection under her belt and a new book on the way in Sept 2019. She Must Be Mad was published in July 2018 and tracks the pain and power in growing up. From falling in love with someone who can’t or won’t love you back, to learning to live in your body Cox has created a collection so relatable you won’t be able to put it down. She Must Be Mad is a must-read and Validate Me, Cox’s account of “a life lived online” comes out on Oct. 3.
You can order She Must Be Mad here.
3Amanda Lovelace
Reading about love is all well and good but what if you want to turn to poetry and creative writing as a way to empower yourself? Amanda Lovelace’s writing is feminist, funny, vulnerable, and will leave you feeling powerful. Her collection, Women Are Some Kind Of Magic charts everything from oppression, loss, empowerment, and healing. It also helps that with names like The Princess Saves Herself In This One, The Witch Doesn’t Burn In This One, and The Mermaids Voice Returns In This One the collection looks awesome on your bookshelf.
You can order the Women Are Some Kind Of Magic collection here.
4Nayyirah Waheed
One of the first poets I found on social media, completely by accident, was Nayyirah Waheed. Completely enchanted by her words, it feels like she has the ability to see how you’re feeling and write it down on paper for you to read back. She released her collections of poems, Salt in Sept. 2013 and nejma in June 2014. Both receiving massive critical acclaim through her work Waheed discusses community, love, intersectional identities, and the self.
You can order Salt here.
5Courtney Peppernell
Courtney Peppernell launched her poetry career in 2016 with Pillow Thoughts. It has been a number one bestseller ever since. The Australlian writer has gone on to writer follow ups to her original works including Pillow Thoughts II: Healing the Heart and Pillow Thoughts III: Mending the Mind. Drawing on her own experiences, the people she meets and the places she visits Peppernell explores heartbreak, restoration, and finding yourself again in her work.
6Wilder Poetry
Taking the reader on an adventure splitting their work into Dusk, Northern Lights, Howl, and Lucid Dreams Wilder Poetry’s work is nothing short of magical. If you want to get lost in the mystery of the night then Nocturnal is for you. While delving into what self love really means Nocturnal also highlights how immensely curious and wonderful the world is around you.
You can order Nocturnal here.
7Blythe Baird
Blythe Baird is undeniably feminist, incredibly powerful, and super witty. In short, you’ll only need to read a handful of her poems before you’ll want her to be in your girl gang. If My Body Could Speak is a collection that digs really deep into girlhood. In poems that explore sexuality, trauma, and loving yourself despite it all Baird has such a strong written voice. Prepare yourself though, the work in If My Body Could Speak is a lot like holding up a mirror to your own experiences.
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I am really here for this female-lead social media revolution in poetry. Whether you're feeling vulnerable, reflective, empowered, or simply in need of a new book each of these creatives manages to speak to the differing female experience by exploring their own. You have to check them out.
