National Poetry Month was first celebrated in 1996. Since then, April has been a month to absorb, share, and celebrate poets and their words. Begin your month of poetry with one of these lyrical, diverse audiobooks:
A collection of timely and timeless poems that are an integral part of the global fabric. Several works have become nearly as iconic as Maya Angelou herself: “On the Pulse of Morning,” “Amazing Peace,” “A Brave and Startling Truth,” and “Mother.”
Listen to an excerpt CELEBRATIONS
By turns playful, ironic, and serious, Collins’s poetry captures the nuances of everyday life while leading the reader to moments of inspired wonder. Aimless Love combines new poems with selections from four previous books—Nine Horses, The Trouble with Poetry, Ballistics, and Horoscopes for the Dead.
Listen to an excerpt AIMLESS LOVE
Mary Oliver’s dog poems offer a special window on her world. Dog Songs collects some of the most cherished poems together with new works, offering a portrait of Oliver’s relationship with the companions that have accompanied her daily walks, warmed her home, and inspired her writing.
Listen to an excerpt DOG SONGS
A stunning collection of poems that John Updike wrote during the last seven years of his life and collected only weeks before he died for this, his final book.
Listen to an excerpt ENDPOINT
Warsan Shire has an ability to give simple, beautiful eloquence to the veiled world where sensuality lives.
Listen to an excerpt TEACHING MY MOTHER HOW TO GIVE BIRTH
Gregson is now known as the creator of the Typewriter Series, a striking collection of poems typed onto found scraps of paper or created via blackout method. Chasers of the Light features some of his most insightful and beautifully crafted pieces of work.
Listen to an excerpt CHASERS OF THE LIGHT