swap_horiz Modern Poetry Alternatives

1

Citizen: An American Lyric

Citizen is a Pulitzer Prize-winning poetry collection by Claudia Rankine. The work explores systemic racism in America t...

American Hybrid Race Award

9.2 Excellent

2

WHEREAS

Layli Long Soldier’s *WHEREAS* examines the complexities of historical and contemporary relationships between the U.S. g...

American Indigenous Experimental Award

9.2 Excellent

3

New and Selected Poems by Mary Oliver

Mary Oliver’s *New and Selected Poems* offers a profound exploration of the natural world through deeply observant verse...

Nature American Contemporary Collection

9.1 Excellent

4

Don't Call Us Dead

“Don’t Call Us Dead” is a poetry collection by Danez Smith exploring themes of Black queer life and survival. The work...

Black American Queer Award

9.1 Excellent

5

frank: sonnets

Diane Seuss’s *frank: sonnets* is a 2021 poetry collection exploring grief and resilience through the established form o...

American Contemporary Pulitzer Sonnets

9.1 Excellent

6

Incendiary Art

Incendiary Art is a collection of black American poetry exploring themes of social justice and political unrest. The wor...

Black American Political Award

9.0 Excellent

7

Averno

Louise Glück’s Averno examines themes of loss, memory, and the natural world through a reimagining of the Greek myth con...

Lyric American Mythic Award

8.9 Great

8

Night Sky with Exit Wounds

Night Sky with Exit Wounds is a debut poetry collection by American poet, Victoria Chang. The work explores themes of fa...

American Queer Debut Award

8.9 Great

9

American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin

This collection of sonnets by Terrance Hayes explores themes of race, identity, and violence within the American context...

American Political Sonnets Award

8.9 Great

10

Obit

“Obit” is a poetry collection by Viet Le. The work explores themes of loss and remembrance through the lens of Asian Ame...

American Grief Asian American Award

8.9 Great

11

A Scattering of Salts by James Merrill

James Merrill’s *A Scattering of Salts* (1995) is a significant collection of poetry marking the culmination of his matu...

American Contemporary Collection Formal

8.8 Great

12

Dunce

Dunce is a collection of American contemporary poems by James Harber. Noted for its experimental form and challenging su...

American Contemporary Experimental Award

8.8 Great

13

Native Guard

Natasha Trethewey's *Native Guard* is a 2006 poetry collection exploring themes of memory, loss, and identity through th...

American Contemporary 2006 Pulitzer

8.8 Great

14

Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine

Citizen: An American Lyric is a 2014 work by Jamaican-American poet Claudia Rankine that blends poetry, essay, cultural...

American Contemporary Collection Social Justice

8.7 Great

15

Night Sky with Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong

Ocean Vuong’s *Night Sky with Exit Wounds* is a powerful poetry collection examining themes of inherited trauma, familia...

American Contemporary Collection Poetry

8.7 Great

16

Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude

“Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude” is a poetry collection by Ross Gay exploring themes of appreciation and connection to t...

Nature American Gratitude Award

8.7 Great

17

The Renunciations

“The Renunciations” is a poetry collection by Casey Jacobsen exploring themes of grief and identity through a distinctly...

American Grief Queer Award

8.7 Great

18

The Triumph of Achilles

Louise Glück’s *The Triumph of Achilles* (1985) is a significant poetry collection exploring themes of loss, power, and...

Classical American Contemporary 1985

8.7 Great

19

Vita Nova

Louise Glück’s Vita Nova, published in 1999, is a significant collection of American poetry. The work examines profound...

American Contemporary Philosophical 1999

8.7 Great

20

Catalogue of Unabashed Gratitude

Catalogue of Unabashed Gratitude is a 2015 poetry collection by American poet Ross Gay, published by the University of P...

Nature American Contemporary Ode

8.7 Great