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.

I love the sequence of these poems. The Winter poems evoke such deep grief, and Spring such love and wonder! I will be re-reading this set of poems over and over. Their briefness adds to their beauty, and the selection includes some famous authors (like Audre Lorde).

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the eARC, hoping this flies off the shelves!

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of poems and loved the way it was structured around the four seasons — summer, spring, autumn, and winter. That framework gave the reading experience a natural rhythm, and I thought it was a really unique way to present poetry.

I also appreciated that each poem came from a different voice. The range of writing styles and perspectives made each section feel fresh, and the emotional depth — touching on love, loss, grief, joy, and more — made this such a moving read.

It’s the kind of collection I know I’ll return to again and again — depending on the season of life I’m in — whether I need a little comfort, inspiration, or just want to sit with beautiful words. I enjoyed it so much that I preordered a physical copy for my poetry shelf.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my arc. These are all my own opinions.

I really enjoyed this anthology! The theme of having poems for every season was a great choice because it created an overarching through line for each section. There's such a wide variety of poets whose work is featured in this; some were favorites of mine and others were new to me. I think this is a collection I will return to in the future because each section will provide something different. This was perfectly curated, and I'd happily read another volume.

ARC Review: Poetry is Not A Luxury

Publication: May 6, 2025

Thank you to @atriabooks for this beautiful eARC.

Poetry Is Not A Luxury is such a beautiful collection of poems. I immediately had to dive into them upon receiving Netgalley approval. And it did not disappoint.

I absolutely loved that the poems were categorized by seasons. A certain season immediately calls certain feelings and imagery to mind so it perfectly sets the tone for the collection as you read. I think this will be something I continually go back to and read a poem or two when I am in my feelings.

This anthology introduced me to poets unknown to me which I appreciated but interpreted with poets I did know like Audre Lorde and Langston Hughes. I think this would be great to take a poem a day in each of the seasons. Overall, I really enjoyed this collection. For some reason, people are daunted by poetry. Maybe they worry it is complicated or hard to decipher true meaning. For me, poetry invokes a physical response because it calls to me in such a way I can almost feel my soul physically stirring. It makes my skin prickle; my eyes well with unshed tears, and can make my stomach ache with poignant longing. How incredibly is it that words on a page can invoke such feeling in us, the readers? Reading Poetry is Not A Luxury was like being reignited with an old friend. This anthology is put together in such a way, that it is easy to pick up the right poem when a certain mood strikes you.

I had a sense this was going to be well put together but it exceeded my expectations.

It's not unusual for poetry collections to be arranged by seasons— of course, this is an anthology. Perhaps that is what makes all the difference?

The organization is skillful and the transition from poem to poem reads with intention and added meaning by association.

4.25/4.5 ⭐️

I really am a poetry lover. I feel like so much can be relayed in such a creative way thats so deeply subjective to the interruption that your experiences and past form for you. It’s truly such a beautiful art form.

I really enjoyed the way this collection is organized. You truly get the best imagery and sensory experience of the seasons and the time of year they’re trying to encapsulate.

I don’t feel like there was any poems that just hit me so deeply and I walked away deeply impacted, but there was quite a few that I paused and reread because they were special to me…
-I went
-Tired of Love Poems
-Tin Bucket
-Think of Others
-To the Woman Crying Uncontrollably in the Next Stall
-Against Nostalgia
-Passage
-Flowers
-Everything is Dying, Nothing is Dead
-Miss You. Would Love to Take a Walk with You
-Maybe In Another Life
-Romance
-Truth is I would like to Escape Myself
-We Love What We Have

Overall, this was a joy to read. I gained some new poet recs from this and truly recommend to everyone, ESPECIALLY if you enjoy poetry.

I appreciated this collection of poetry as they were poems that I would not necessarily seek out myself. I wasn't completely blown away with any of the poems, but I enjoyed them. I loved the layout of the book and the corresponding poems with the seasons. I can definitely see this book as a coffee table book and one that could be the center of discussion.

Big thank you for the advanced copy of this book!

How did I not notice poetry on NetGalley before? This was such a wonderful read. Things I adored: incredible voices in the world of poetry, the depth and breadth of this collection, the themes and arrangement by season. I am going to go back over the course of the year to read certain poems as the seasons change. Probably going to purchase a physical copy to share with loved ones!

A lovely collection of poems organized around the seasons. Read them one at a time- maybe even one a day- to fully appreciate the collection. It's a diverse group but it's wonderful. You might find a favorite or discover a new poet. I really enjoyed this. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Perfect to keep at your bedside.

Poetry is a Luxury by Anonymous is an anthology of poems categorized into the four seasons. This was my first poetry anthology and I can say I definitely liked how there were poems from different authors. I found that the poems being placed into different seasons was very neat. I really liked the poems in the Autumn section and really resonated with them a lot. Alot of the poems are quite short but I found that really helped because I was able to reread them a lot to try and get a better understanding of them. I do think this collection has something to offer everyone. There a lots of poems about love, life and relationships which most people can relate to.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.