We all could stand to read more poetry. I say this as a poet who is immersed in poetry daily. You can never have too much of it–and personally, I don’t understand why more people don’t read poetry more. It’s short, which means you can digest a poem (the first time) on the subway, on a walk, while taking a break on work, etc. It’s all very momentary. Of course, this doesn’t mean you can’t go back to the poem later, and reread it with new eyes.
This is why I’m rounding up 13 New York poets whose work I love and adore–who are challenging our views on sexuality, gender, race, identity, and more. We can always cope with more poetry, am I right?
1. David Tomas Martinez – The Only Mexican (Poetry Foundation)
2. Jason Koo – No Longer See (Prelude)
3. Lisa Marie Basile – Untitled (Spork)
4. Monica Lewis – First Kiss (The Boiler Journal)
5. Katie Longofono – The Outline (Tinderbox Poetry Journal)
6. Shamar Hill – My Father Tells Me (Brooklyn Poets)
7. Morgan Parker – If You Are Over Staying Woke (Poetry Foundation)
8. Omotara James – Three Women / Two Transfers and a Token / One Reincarnation (The Poetry Project)
9. Lynn Melnick – Landscape with Happily Ever After (Poets.org)
10. Nathan McClain – Love Don’t Live Here Anymore (District Lit)
11. Saeed Jones – Kudzu (Poets.org)
12. Candace Williams – Black Sonnet (Sixth Finch)
13. Amy King – Perspective (Poetry Foundation)
Joanna C. Valente is a human who lives in Brooklyn, New York, and is the author of Sirs & Madams (Aldrich Press, 2014), The Gods Are Dead (Deadly Chaps Press, 2015), Marys of the Sea (2016, ELJ Publications), & Xenos (2016, Agape Editions) and the editor of “A Shadow Map: An Anthology by Survivors of Sexual Assault” (CCM, 2017). They received their MFA in writing at Sarah Lawrence College. Joanna is also the founder of Yes, Poetry, as well as the managing editor for Luna Luna Magazine and CCM. Some of their writing has appeared in Prelude, Apogee, Spork The Atlas Review, The Feminist Wire, BUST, The James Franco Review, and elsewhere. They also teach workshops at Brooklyn Poets.
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