How to Find Poetry You Love
If you’re just starting out on your poetic journey it can feel daunting entering the world of poetry. Maybe you haven’t encountered poetry since school when you were forced to read and analyse dry texts, completely devoid of wonder and magic.
In my opinion, poetry should not be graded. Poetry should move you. Poetry should name a thing you don’t have words for.
It’s time to throw away everything you thought about reading poetry and discover the absolute joy of it.
There will always be people who say “read the greats”, and there is a place for that. But there are so many wonderful contemporary poets. There’s a saying in the art world you should “Buy art from living artists. The dead ones don’t need the money.” I like to consume my poetry in a similar fashion.
Poetry is art and art is a reflection of the society it is made in, so I like to seek out current poets who are writing about modern times. That’s not to completely discredit the dead poets - a great poem is universal - but I’ll be reading the greats to understand lineage and focusing my attention on new and exciting modes of expression.
What’s more, the world of publishing is changing and not all great poetry is chosen by gatekeepers. There’s a world of poetry available on social media and your local area. You just have to know where to sniff it out.
That being said, here’s a little guide to finding poetry that resonates with you; how to find the words that ignite your soul and help you process the life around you.
Social Media
There are loads of great Instagram accounts that post a poem a day from new and established writers. Following these accounts is a great way to introduce yourself to the poetry canon.
Find a poem you love. Save it to a folder. Follow the poet on IG (if they’re there).
You’ll start noticing the same names cropping up. These are your poets. Buy their books and devour their words.
Start by following these accounts: @poetryisnotaluxury @litbowl @secretchords_apoemfortheday @grieftolight
Threads
There is an incredible and vibrant poetry scene growing on Threads. It’s truly astonishing to witness. It is a community of artists sharing their poetry as well as tips, prompts and rants about publishing.
The limited character space means poems have to be brief. The contained space makes for some potent poems.
Chill Subs publish a journal with poems exclusively from Threads called Thread Litmag. It’s a great place to start for finding the excellent poetry being shared on the platform.
Get started there quickly before the Twitter/X-odus get their claws in.
I’ll be honest, I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do over here, but give my personal account a follow and you may see some more poems and prompts.
Other social platforms
I’m scared of Tiktok. I already waste so much time scrolling through Instagram I don’t want to add another social platform to the scroll hole.
There’s probably some great poetry happening over there. I imagine lots of spoken word. Let me know if you’re on Tiktok. I’d love to know more about the poetry scene over there.
Physical Texts
Bookshops
Check out your local bookshop. Bonus points for indie bookstores.
Poetry isn’t given a huge amount of shelfspace but I find that the titles change quite frequently in my local Waterstones in Liverpool. The bigger cities have more shelfspace.
Anthologies are a good place to start. The Forward Poetry Prize releases a book every year and you’ll find the cutting edge poets in these volumes. The Everyman series have collections on themes such as Love and Friendship, as well as particular poets or schools of poetry.
Or maybe you’re attracted to a certain book cover? Pick up the book and have a flick through. Read some of the poems. If you like it, buy it and take it home.
The Library
Everything about bookshops but you borrow the book instead of buying it.
Don’t forget that writers get paid every time you borrow one of their books so you’re still contributing to their livelihood.
Another bonus for libraries, they often have collections that are out of print and they can order in anything you want (within reason).
Literary Journals
Literary journals are where most poetry gets published. Publications like The Poetry Review and the Rialto are publishing the most established contemporary poets - the “accepted” into the literary canon.
However, there are publications for all sorts of writing: prose, poetry, speculative; specific genders, sexualities, spirits; new and established writers.
Some publications charge a fee to read each issue but many have a selection, if not all, available on their website.
Chill Subs is a great place to find journals that resonate with you. Use their filters to narrow down what you’re looking for. And, if you’re feeling confident start submitting!
IRL
Your local open mic
Chances are there’s loads of creative talent right on your doorstep. It can be quite difficult to find your local poetry open mics but once you find your scene a whole host of events opens up to you.
Search Google and Facebook, and even ask at your local library.
The pandemic forced open mics to go online so now there's some established nights happening on zoom from the comfort of your bed.
Your local theatre
Poets go on tour. Check out the listings for your local theatres. They're more likely playing in smaller, community theatres, but big names like John Cooper Clarke can pack out bigger, more established venues.
Has your favourite poet got a new collection out? See where they're touring. Could be at a theatre near you or even your friendly open mic at the pub in town.
There's so much poetry out there in the world. The Internet is a fantastic resource but can feel a little daunting if you don’t know where to start.
There’s a myth that all poetry is high brow but the reality is the high brow stuff is such a small portion. It’s the same with all art: there’s something for everyone. Find your tastes, explore different traditions and new worlds of feeling will open up to you.
I’ve found that poetry people are very passionate, a bit weird but very welcoming and supportive - so get out and find your community.
