This anthology perfectly achieves its goal of providing an accessible, but still high-quality sampler of poetry for new and old poetry fans alike. I love an anthology like this for discovering new favorite poets and will recommend it to anyone who wants to learn what they like within this medium.

"If we're not supposed to dance/Why all this music?" - Gregory Orr

Poetry is Not a Luxury is an album for the seasons, a compilation of poems to turn through over a year or (as I did) in a few cool nights with the window open. While this anthology isn't groundbreaking, it was soft and reflective, meant to be savored. The title is a bit misleading—I expected it to be harsher and more desperate—but the intent, I believe, is for these poems to become part of daily life. Some shone more than others, particularly "Phases of the Moon/Things I Have Done" by Ella Frears, "Idea" by Kate Baer, and "On Friendship" by Henri Cole. Overall, though, the strength of this collection is that it speaks to a broad audience, and anyone could keep this beautiful title by their bedside to carry them through the rhythms of life.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Washington Square Press for this eARC!

Very enjoyable collection of modern verse arranged by seasons - both in nature and life experience. Quite a few gems in every season. I’ll definitely be rereading this collection from time to time, and picking up a physical copy soon for my library ❤️

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria books for the digital arc!

Know thy audience -- @PoetryIsNotaLuxury has 850000 Instagram followers for exactly the hits of poetry in the pages of the book version -- short, evocative, quotable. It features greats like Nikki Giovanni, Ada Limon, Saeed Jones, Rita Dove and Audre Lorde, and some folks mainly Instagram-famous, which is an unusual and not unwelcome combination. I enjoyed the seasonal format and feel, but left feeling like it could have been a bit more? It's a good book to pull off the shelf for some inspiration here and there.

I'm going to give this **gasp** a five. It was a craptastic afternoon in late May when I picked this book. It pulled me in, taking me to other places-those not covered in sweat and boredom. I love the cover art, simple and pleasing to the eye. Usually, thematic arrangement of poems by seasons feels corny, but it works here. This variety of poems is great. Every page a different look at human life. It gives the feeling of flipping through a photo album. You recognize some old friends, smile, nod. There are some lovely new voices--at least for me. I've already added it the "Buy This for Our Upperclassmen" list that I optimistically send to the Principal's Office every year in September.

I devoured this wonderful collection in practically one setting. It has immense re-readability--would be a great book to cozy up with Vivaldi's Four Seasons playing in the background. I loved it so much I bought one for my guest bedroom nighttable!

I love this social media account and this collection was just as thoughtfully curated and themed out by circumstance

I have followed the Instagram account under the same name for years, and I was excited about this book. It didn't disappoint. I loved the layout by season and the poems were a mixture of easy to understand and some that made you think a little deeper. A great, accessible collection for new or old lovers of poetry.

I love the way this collection is configured. Full of wonderful and meaningful and beautiful poems from a spectrum of writers. Kudos.

Thank for to netgalley and atria books for the advanced copy.

I throughly enjoyed this collection of poems. It was so refreshing to read a highly curated selection, that moved with the seasons. I think that the distinct feeling of each season was made incredibly clear through each section. Highly recommend for poetry lovers. 4.5 stars

I did really love this collection of poetry! I follow the account on Instagram and have found so much love and hope from the poems and so when I saw that there was a book I died! And it 100% lived up to my expectations. I did find myself skipping a few poems though which is why I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5

Summer felt like that breath of fresh, warm air. A heart to heart. Seeing myself in others, feeling like those authors, those poets, saw me through their eyes and the hands that wrote. My favorites in the season of summer include: Cento for the Night I Said “I Love You” by Nicole Sealey; Tired Of Love Poems by Megan Fernandes; Think of Others by Mahmoud Darwish; and Phases of the Moon / Things I Have Done by Ella Frears.
Autumn felt like that cool whisper of a breeze bringing that beginning before winter, that cardinal shift of the seasons. A child born of autumn myself, I felt at home in these. The autumn poems that spoke to me: Against Nostalgia by Ada Limón; The Wind Did What the Wind Came to Do by Luther Hughes; I love you to the moon & by Chen Chen; and [We Mention the Cat] by CAConrad.
Winter, a season of short days, of less light. Winter holds me steady like the grief and the love and the loss depicted in these poems. So many hit me in the home of my heart, in a way that hurt, a hurt that belongs to humanity. If I didn’t feel that pain and grief, then would I be human? Those that especially spoke to me include: There You Are by Victoria Adukwei Bulley; Watching My Friend Pretend Her Heart Is Not Breaking by Rosemerry Wahtola Trimmer; Author’s Prayer by Ilya Kaminsky; The Years by Alex Dimitrov; and Maybe in Another Life by Tiana Clark.
Spring was that accumulation of all that came before, that fresh air, the whispered breeze, and the grief and love and loss that came from those prior seasons. It almost hurt when I came to the last poem. It shocked me to my core; suddenly, this anthology was over. The summer poems that spoke to me especially were: [I want to wake up] by Bhanu Kapil; I Am the Horse by Dorothea Lasky; Truth is I would like to escape myself by Nour Al Ghraowi; and No Romance by Jacqueline Suskin.
I felt this collection was well-organized, the poems collected under each season fitting an overarching theme within the seasons as well as an overarching theme existing between them: that there is love and beauty to be found even in a broken, aching world, such as the one we are in. Poetry like this holds our hearts steady amidst such grief.
Big big thanks to the publisher, Atria Books, through NetGalley for providing the e-ARC for me to read. I am very grateful for the opportunity to have read such beautiful work.

This is one of my favorite poetry anthologies ever. There are so many that I bookmarked. Just the right combination of moving, well crafted, artistic and relatable. Love, love, love. Highly recommended.

Sample:

Why Bother?
Sean Thomas Dougherty

Because right now, there is   someone
out there with
a wound     in the exact shape
         of your words.


Read via an advance digital copy on netgalley.

First Impression Review :

The seasonal structure of this poetry collection immediately pulled me in. As someone who believes in the concept of " life happens in seasons" this aligns perfectly.

What I loved so far :
-The first season was beautiful.
-The second season held my favorite poem so far.
-I’m currently in the third season and just realized the book ends with the one we’re in now, which makes the experience feel full circle.
-I love that the poems explore both the natural seasons and love that happens within them.
-I’ve already written down several poets to look into thanks to this collection. If possible, I’ll return to name those standouts in my final review. But for now, this is exactly what I needed in this season of my reading life.

Inspired by writer and philosopher Audre Lorde’s famous claim: “Poetry is not a luxury,” this anthology proves the vitality of poetry as a crucial source of inspiration, comfort, and delight.

I have been an avid follower of Poetryisnotaluxuary for years on Instagram. Even from my personal account before I had a bookstagram, I would avidly read and share the poems that resonated in my soul. As soon as I saw it on NetGalley I knew I had to request it. And when Atria reached out asking if they could send me an advanced physical copy it was a resounding YES from me.

Because really, that’s the point. I love that poetry is the text you can read in snippets, bites, snacks. An amuse bouche for the soul if you will. Sometimes you find that perfect one you read again and again. Other times it's multiple poems; all opening yourself up to feel a connection to something more. Something and someone who understands and puts into words what you can’t.

Each season will bring a new beginning and understanding. Summer is about love and travel and joy. Autumn brings you the ideas of nostalgia and gratitude. Winter is both a cry of loneliness and an ode to comfort. Spring is the place to find all of our new beginnings and joy for what the future may hold for each of us.

If you love poetry, like me, please pick up a copy of this amazing text. And go follow Poetryisnotaluxury if you can.
This book is out now! A special thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for an advanced copy (and physical copy) in exchange for an honest review.

Maybe you're familiar with the Instagram account? Loved this collection and its dedication to Audre Lord. Also loved seasonal categories. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, pre-ordered to own, book publishes 5/6

I really appreciated this poetry collection and the concept behind it. The idea that poetry is not a luxury and should be available widely to be enjoyed. Additionally, this collection's organization into the seasons was well done. I appreciated that it began and ended with the lighter/happier seasons(Summer/Spring). I resonated the most with the summer poems (as someone who loves a love poem), but winter was also a favorite section. This collection has certainly given me plenty of authors whom I would like to look further into their body of work.

This is a 4.5 out of 5.

As someone who dips into poetry now and then, I found Poetry Is Not a Luxury to be a moving and eye-opening collection. The title drew me in right away—it suggests that poetry isn’t something extra or ornamental, but essential. That theme carries through the anthology, which brings together voices that speak to survival, identity, resistance, and joy. Even as a casual reader, I could feel the urgency and emotional depth in so many of the pieces.

What I appreciated most was the variety of perspectives and styles. Some poems were lyrical and tender, others raw and confrontational. A few made me pause and reread, not because they were difficult, but because they packed so much into just a few lines. I didn’t connect with every single piece, but overall, the collection felt purposeful and beautifully curated. If you’re looking for poetry that speaks to lived experience and inner strength, this is a thoughtful, powerful read. I loved my time with this anthology.

Poetry Is Not a Luxury which began as an account on Instagram has now created a hardcopy collection of poems to celebrate the four seasons! If you are poetry curious then this is a fine place to begin. Inside you will find verse spanning centuries and across the globe, but with a focus on some of the best working poets of our time. A collection such as this is an excellent way to launch your interest into so many different styles and genres!

Thank you net gallery for the advance copy of this book. Five stars for sending a hard copy of the book and for including a poem about Edgewater Beach. The book is divided into 4 parts, one for each season. I found the poems very enjoyable, and I would definitely recommend.