Will I ever take a breather and pause buying poetry chapbooks? All signs point to no. As I’ve been more stressed than ever before this last full month of school, I’ve leaned more on written and spoken word poetry to keep me going throughout the nights. I’ve accumulated quite a list of books by my favorite poets over the past few months and one long night of procrastination and staying up till 5 am pushed me to take the plunge and purchase some of the chapbooks on my poetry wish list. Jericho Brown’s The Tradition was released only a week ago and I’ve waited patiently for it to go on sale. Brown’s poems focus on the intersection of Blackness and queerness and how trauma impacts generations of people in both groups. Each poem I’ve read so far has been a work of art, like walking through a garden. Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky is a showstopper and was the earliest addition to my poetry wish list because of its running story through the collection of poems. I’ve never read a chapbook that follows a singular narrative about war throughout a line of pieces, so Deaf Republic is a new and exciting experience for me, and I’m sure for everyone who reads the book. Ada Limón’s The Carrying is another one of the older picks on my poetry wish list and I can’t wait to digest each piece and soak in Limón’s vulnerability and open experiences. I’ve slowly read through Night Sky with Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong every time I went to a bookstore over the years, so I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long to purchase the chapbook. I love supporting other Asian poets and Vuong is a fabulous voice who illustrates the struggles of first-generation Americans and how cultural and personal violence coexist. I’ve loved each book so far and can’t wait to purchase more collections from my poetry wish list!
