Poetry is one of the most universal methods of expression. This art form not only encapsulates a variety of emotions but it also allows us to understand experiences that differ from ours. Throughout history, Black poets have been held responsible for reflecting on current events and charging the community to envision a world where words are valued and reign supreme.

For World Poetry Day, check out the works of these Black poets who have contributed to the landscape of this written word form and create intricate worlds through language and prose.

Rudy Francisco

helium rudy francisco
"Helium"
Rudy Francisco (Button Publishing)
Francisco's debut book of poems "Helium" uses love as a platform to analyze and find safety in our own self-reflection while simultaneously unpacking these topics through the lenses of class, race and gender.

Price: $16

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Amanda Gorman

amanda gorman call us what we carry
"Call Us What We Carry"
Amanda Gorman (Listening Library)
The COVID-19 pandemic was an unexpected reckoning that brought a multitude of unchecked trauma to many. Gorman acknowledges this and provides a sense of lightness in an effort to eradicate the heaviness of the weight this period brought about to our world.

Price: $14

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Dr. Joshua Bennett

the sobbing school joshua bennett
"The Sobbing School"
Dr. Joshua Bennett (Penguin Books)
No matter what values our respective communities are rooted in, our socialization impacts the way in which we view and interact with the world. Bennett invokes the nuance of this fact through personal recollection and understandings of the Black experience.

Price: $20

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Camonghne Felix

camonghne felix
"Build Yourself A Boat"
Camonghne Felix (Haymarket Books)
Recovering after heartbreak and devastating events is a relatable experience and often hard to articulate. Felix does so eloquently and with grace with the hopes of encouraging others to find their own light in dark times.

Price: $16

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Danez Smith

danez smith homie
"Homie"
Danez Smith (Highbridge)
Kinship is a gift that can fill even the emptiest of cups. Smith identifies the power that various types of intimate relationships can have on community in the midst of the state of the world today.

Price: $12

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Jasmine Mans

jasmine mans
"Black Girl, Call Home"
Jasmine Mans (Berkley)
Drawing upon the tradition of Black women poets who laid the foundation, Mans counts the ways Black women—herself included— must always find a soft place to land.

Price: $11

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Jericho Brown

jericho brown
The Tradition
Jericho Brown (Copper Canyon Press)
"The Tradition" won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. Within this book of poetry, Brown dissects elements of human connection through themes such as legacy, Blackness and fatherhood.

Price: $11

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Aja Monet

aja monet
My Mother Was A Freedom Fighter
Aja Monet (Haymarket Books)
"My Mother Was a Freedom Fighter" pays homage to women of the world and the roles they play within a multitude of familial dynamics. Monet's pen dives into their experiences and real-life challenges and joys which connect women to one another.

Price: $16

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Saeed Jones

saeed jones
"Alive at the End of the World"
Saeed Jones (Coffee House Press)
American ingenuity has always come at a hefty price, especially for Black folks. Jones' collection of poems centers Black American icons and the ways in which their input toward culture has been a reflection of their own survival.

Price: $16

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