Poem in Your Pocket: 7 Poems by Women

The Academy of American Poets launched National Poetry Month in April 1996. The goal of National Poetry Month is to remind all that in a world awash in text, poetry matters. Every April since, poetry readers and nonreaders alike can’t help but notice poetry cropping up amongst the blooms of spring—poems suddenly adorning sandwich boards and subway cars, Instagram feeds, drivetime radio and especially in local library displays. This year, Off the Shelf invited four lovers of poetry to contribute a post for a Poem in Your Pocket series to gift our readers a new poem for every day of the week. Below is the second installment in this series. Check in every Friday for your next set of pocket poems!

You might think poetry has to be written by a dead white guy or rhyme in a special way to count. The great thing about poetry is that although it certainly can be those things, it doesn't have to be. It's subjective and specific while also being universal in many ways. National Poetry Month (April!) is a great time to get acquainted with some new-to-you poetry. This week I'm all about modern poetry from some very talented women poets.

Poem 1: "The Autocross" by Olivia Gatwood
Why You Should Read It: "The Autocross" appears in two of Gatwood's collections that you can get at the library (New American Best Friend and Life of the Party). Both collections are deeply and fiercely feminist while exploring what it means to navigate what is so often a man's world while being a woman. It's hard for me to pick a favorite from Gatwood because everything she does is so good. That said, I think "The Autocross" really highlights everything Gatwood does well. She paints a scene with sparse language and a deliberate structure before building to a final stanza that packs a punch. I tend to describe a lot of sharp, smart writing as "having teeth." For this poem I'll go one step further and say it has a bite in the best way.

One man asks how I reach the pedals.
One man asks where my daddy is.
One man opens his trunk and says,
Bet you're small enough to fit.

-Read the full poem in New American Best Friend and Life of the Party

Poem 2: "the sign you've been waiting for" by amanda lovelace
Why You Should Read It: Lovelace became popular after posting her poetry to instagram and tumblr. She also self-published her first collection, the princess saves herself in this one, (where this poem appears) to much acclaim before it was reprinted by a traditional publisher and became more widely available. Since then, she has branched out to author multiple poetry collections, an oracle deck, a writing journal, and more. It's no understatement to say lovelace's work has become an exemplar not just of what modern poetry can look like but what it can accomplish. Her debut collection is filled with powerful messages and vivid imagery. This poem is one of my favorites because it is so visual and also so affirming.

grow a beautiful garden
from your aching
& teach yourself
how to thrive from it.

-Read the full poem in the princess saves herself

Poem 3: "The Woods" by Christine Hepperman
Why You Should Read It: "The Woods" appears in Hepperman's collection Poisoned Apples: Poems For You My Pretty. In this collection Hepperman presents 50 poems that bring fairy tale themes and imagery together with modern girlhood. This first poem in the collection sets the tone for this clever, utterly feminist book that demonstrates how every poem can be a story.

The action's always there.
Where are the fairy tales about gym class
or the doctor's office or the back of the bus
where bad things also happen?

-Read the full poem in Poisoned Apples: Poems For You My Pretty

Poem 4: "hunger" by rupi kaur
Why You Should Read It: Kaur is another big name when it comes to so-called social media poets. Like amanda lovelace, kaur's roots are in social media where she first gained popularity on instagram. Kaur's poems are modern, vivid, and offer a unique reading experience (often accompanied by illustrations) that is changing what poetry means. hunger can be found in kaur's collection the sun and her flowers. I especially appreciate the economy of language and the way that allows this poem to hyper-focus on one scene and all of the emotional resonance behind it.

Poem 5: "Have You Ever?" by Mahogany L. Browne
Why You Should Read It: This poem appears in Browne's novel Vinyl Moon. Five weeks ago Angel was dating Darius and she still believed he loved her. Now as she settles in with Uncle Spence, gets used to Brooklyn, and lets herself heal after the disastrous incident with Darius, Angel isn't sure what to believe or what comes next. This book blends prose and poetry to create a very unique reading experience (one I recommend as an audiobook too) set right here in Brooklyn. Angel's journey to understand her own past while discovering a love for books, poetry, and music is empowering, hopeful, and not to be missed.

Have You Ever?

Held your breath?
Because you were afraid
of what might come out
when you exhale

That's how it feels to be me

Holding my breath
and swinging for the fences

Swinging for my own life

Once upon a time
I was just a girl with a crew of younger look-a-likes

Once upon a time
I was just a girl growing into a teenager
My mom worked her fingers to the bone

But she didn't know she also worked my name to dust

Once upon a time
I stopped holding my breath

I took a deep breath
I inhaled all of the doubt
And started to believe everyone before I believed in myself

Poem 6: "Lawless Spaces" by Corey Ann Haydu
Why You Should Read It: Okay. This one is a bit of a cheat because Lawless Spaces is a full verse novel, not just one poem. Haydu's intergenerational story introduces readers to the Dovewick family and tackles the isolation and loss of the pandemic (specifically 2020's quarantine months) while also exploring what it means to carry generational trauma. Lawless Spaces is powerful, ultimately healing, and easily my favorite book of the year. The poem below is an excerpt from near the beginning that I think shows you why this book is worth a look.

Mimi, 2022
Sixteen

The notebook is blue
and inside are three poems
about me
in my mother's curvy, swervy handwriting.
It is the beginning of something that she gets to
start and I guess it's my job to
finish--which is
the story of myself, or at least the story of
right now.

"Here," she says. "Happy birthday."
It is not a gift wrapped in silver paper,
it is not the things I wanted--
gold eye shadow and a ring light
for doing live posts.
It is just itself.
Soft-covered and lined,
crisp paper;
a lot of it. The poems she's written about me are
short
and mostly about who I was
when I was little and we were
close. I guess she doesn't know what to say about me
now. I guess I don't
either.

Poem 7: "On a Pink Moon" by Ada Limón
Why You Should Read It: I would be remiss in sharing a roundup of some of my favorite women poets if I didn't include Ada Limón. Limón is one of those interesting poets whose work you might have already stumbled across online browsing for poetry but whose work has also received a fair bit of critical acclaim and numerous awards. Like a lot of the authors here, it's hard for me to pick just one poem to share but after much deliberation I think On a Pink Moon is a great introduction to her work. "On a Pink Moon" appears in Limón's collectionThe Carrying.

Listen to Limón recite "On a Pink Moon":

Bio: Emma Carbone is a YA librarian in Brooklyn. She has been blogging about books since 2007 at Miss Print. When she isnít reading, you can find her baking, crocheting, or exploring local museums.