Poetry is Not a Luxury by Anonymous is an incredible collection of poems through each of the seasons. I had quite a few favorites, which I’ve listed below, and I feel that this collection is perfect for seasoned poetry lovers and those looking to explore poetry for themselves!
My favorites:
The ways of the many, On Seeing and Being Seen, I love you to the moon &, I still have everything you gave me, I Am Filled with Love, Advice, Coping, Could Let You Go, Truth is I would like to escape myself

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a digital ARC and physical ARC! I loved this!

Arc review

I really really liked this one.
I think it was different from most I've read so far.
You could read it in parts (by season)
Which I absolutely love.
There is a poem for everyone in here.
4.5/5

Thank you so much for the arc! and the gifted copy.
Thank you for everyone involved.

A sumptuous curation of poetry that is a must buy for your collection - or the start of your poetry collection. Treat this collection like a buffet. Take as much as you want. Hungrily devour or savor a morsel at a time. There's something for everyone. As an added bonus, most of the poems included are rather short, so it's great when you want a quick poetry fix or if you are new to poetry. Thanks to Net Galley for sending me an advance copy to review.

Poetry Is Not a Luxury: Poems for All Seasons by Anonymous
reflective slow-paced
3.0 stars

This was a beautiful collection of poetry- broken into four seasons (I was especially fond of autumn and winter sections). You can tell a lot of care went into the development of this collection.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for a fair, honest review.

Incredibly grateful to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley.

“We can read us. We are not alone.” - Brenda Shaughnessy, ‘Miracles’

A poetry anthology we all need to help us see ourselves, others and the world around us as we move through the seasons of the year and life. I have followed @poetryisnotaluxury for quite some time and am so thrilled that they have released this collection of poems from voices here and gone. Complied with such care and with honor to the Audre Lorde aphorism, it contains many familiar poems and poets, and also features many newer voices and works. Such a wonderful variety of verse!

Thanks to NetGalley and Washington Square Press/Atria for the eARC.

I've been following the @poetryisnotaluxury IG account for a while, and I love that this book came out. I loved the seasonal sections and the amazing, hand-picked poems (many by poets I truly admire). This would make a great gift to those who enjoy poetry.

I initially didn’t know how this would translate from the Instagram page to book format but, I shouldn’t have worried! The result worked out well and this was an enjoyable read!
Super thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the opportunity to review this unique book! :)

For anyone who is a fan of poetry and anyone who follows the Instagram account of the same name name, not only is Poetry Is Not a Luxury: Poems for All Seasons not a luxury, it is a necessity. Starting with the striking, colourful cover, this collection stands out in several ways. It is a curated collection that divides the poetry into seasons that evoke different moods often using nature or other vivid imagery.

I loved this collection because it is diverse and wide-ranging. It includes popular and well-loved poets but often not their most popular works. It allows readers to be introduced to new voices and the common thread seems to be some very evocative imagery. It was so nice to see poems from some of my favourite poets that I was unfamiliar with and it just goes to show that this will make a wonderful reference in the future. I was sold when I saw poems by Li-Young Lee and Kate Baer. There were also several other poets that I can't wait to read full collections from. This is a book that every poetry lover should display proudly on their shelves.

Thank you very much to Atria Books and Washington Square Press for an early digiral copy of this book via NetGalley for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Poetry Is Not A Luxury is one of the best poetry books I have ever read.

I love how the book is divided by the seasons of the year, and how each season is represent so well with each poem.

There were poems that made cried, so deep and understanding of the feelings we all experience at some point in our lives. Other poems, though short ones but very powerful.

It makes my heart happy to have access to these type of books. I love poetry, reading it and writing it. Having a book like this as a reference, as an inspiration to my mind, heart and soul, fills me with hope, and makes me want to continue writing poetry and give my feelings and thoughts a voice.


Thank you, Washington Square Press and NetGalley, for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

i'm probably aging myself here, but i love when an anthology feels like a mixtape. nothing quite tops the feeling of someone really seeing you and caring enough to curate an experience that will make you smile, create a warm ball of light in your chest, and remind you that you're not alone. this book is all that and more.

i've never been a fan of "instagram poetry," which is to say that i'm not into those super short, super generic platitudes that just so happen to have line breaks (and also happen to make a TON of money). but i also get it — poetry isn't often taught in a way that inspires or welcomes students. a lot of what you see in schools is written by long-dead white guys. meanwhile, there's an entire world of poetry that is skillful, gorgeous, evocative, fun, heartbreaking, and comforting that is being written by living poets that tons of people don't often discover. this anthology is a perfect collection of approachable poems that display a love for living poets while still honoring those who came before.

i was so pleased to see one of my absolute favorite poems ("to the woman crying uncontrollably in the next stall" by kim addonizio) in these pages. but all of these are favorite poems. there's too many to choose from. this collection is for everybody — for those new to poetry, it serves of the perfect introductory course. those more seasoned aficionados, it feels like coming home.

eternal thanks to atria books for the digital and physical copies of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A good variety of poems encompassing the four Seasons. A book to read all year long. Best read in snippets when the mood strikes. The book itself is small and perfect for traveling. This is definitely a book I will read again and again.

POETRY IS NOT A LUXURY by Anonymous is a marvel. I could not believe my good luck in acquiring this anthology. Curated (the new buzz word for what used to be called edited) at an Instagram account of the same name, this book makes available the best of those best poems for readers. Loosely organized according to the seasons and the corresponding moods and life themes, it showcases the work of many contemporary poets. I really enjoy the idea of poetry anthologies but so many get bogged down with older work, probably to avoid copyright issues. These poems are fresh and filled with life, and I imagine Audre Lorde, to whom the book is dedicated, laughing and crying along with the readers.

With thanks to NetGalley and Washington Square Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve finally found a collection of poetry that has given me an opportunity to feel seen and see the world in the most beautiful way. I will cherish this book for years to come.

A gorgeous anthology of poems curated by the anonymous Instagram page Poetry Is Not A Luxury. A thoroughly delicious read, capturing the very essence of the mundane and beauty of the human experience.

Poetry captures the feelings we can’t quite put into words, and this collection of poems does it so eloquently and effortlessly. I felt seen reading so many of these poems and for that reason it has my heart. I enjoyed the seasonal flow of how the poems were arranged, which felt poetic in itself.

If you love poetry, this is a must! I’ll definitely be purchasing a physical copy at my local bookstore.

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

If you dont follow @poetryisnotaluxury...i dont know what you're doing. You definitely should.

This anthology was separated by season, which i really liked because sometimes i get whiplash between styles when i read collected works rather than single authors. Well crafted and touching, i really enjoyed this collection.

Thanks, netgalley and atria for this eArc!

This is a fantastic collection of poems to have on your shelf.
I've read a handful of poetry books, and this one is very thought provoking for sure. It's also really neat how it is sectioned into the seasons.
Really enjoyed and it will be something I let my kids read as well.

"Poetry is not a luxury" is a quote from Audre Lorde and the inspiration for the Instagram account of the same name. This collection by the owner of that Instagram account is a wonderful anthology of mostly contemporary poets, some of the very best currently writing. Organized by season (although that is very broadly defined as many of the poems do not even reference the time of year), this is a great collection to get to know some new poets or revisit old favorites. Highly recommended.

A beautiful collection. I’ve discovered the Instagram account after my mom passed, and I’ve always loved their curation there. I received a free ebook in exchange for this review, but I’m thinking of buying a copy so I can read the poems slower during the actual seasons, which I think would make me love it even more.

This is perfection. It has earned a permanent spot on my nightstand. The @poetryisnotaluxury anthology does exactly what poetry is meant to do—it illuminates a sliver of the human experience in a way that lodges it right in your heart and memory.

The poems are arranged by season, which I found poignant (and which will guide me as I continue to pick this book and reread all these poems that twisted my gut and/or made my heart thump). The poems are so well-chosen—they are accessible for beginners to poetry, but still have depth and elegant language that will give readers the chance to wrestle with some of the poems.

One of the things I love about anthologies is the way they lead me to add collection after collection to my TBR. I have been exposed to quite a few new poets through this book, and I am looking forward to diving into the backlists.

POETRY IS NOT A LUXURY is the perfect primer for new and seasoned poetry enthusiasts. Even my seven-year-old daughter started reading over my shoulder, savoring the words. She didn’t want me to put the book down. Don’t sleep on this one.

A nice variety of poems, short but still full. This is a great start for someone who is not sure about poetry or poets. I would recommend this to anyone.