Inspirational books can certainly make the difference in one’s lifestyle and mindset if taken with an open mind. But at the same time, instead of reading someone’s advice and tips, you might as well get a bit of art and sense out of them – how about some poetry then?
Surprisingly enough, inspirational poetry is not really a thing these days, yet many authors write their poems with the overall idea to inspire and help. Maybe we just need to call this new wave self-help poetry.
Deciding on the best inspirational poetry book can be quite difficult with so many great writers out there. Besides, people find inspiration in different sources. While nature works for some, love, self-discovery and self-esteem work for others.
What Are The Best Inspirational Poetry Books?
Breakthroughs, by Anupa Rao
Poetry can help us understand our emotions and give us hope for the future. It can also provide comfort in difficult times. There is no one-size-fits-all answer for how to deal with these difficulties. But Anupa Rao’s stories and poetry can provide courage to face with them. Breakthroughs is filled with love and positivity that you will find between the lines of the book.
Poetry can also be a source of self-help and self-love. In Breakthroughs the author shows us ways in which love could override loss. She encourages readers to remember that they are not alone in their grief and that there is hope for the future.
The poems will encourage readers to find relief that will really heal their hearts. This inspirational poetry book puts loss and mental issues into a new perspective in order to find the endless source of positivity.
In the Lateness Of The World, by Carolyn Forché
Carolyn Forché has always inspired with her work, but this new release can certainly awaken any reader. Some of her poems come as testimonies, while others make great wonderments anyone can learn something from.
This album is the author’s first release in about 17 years. It brings in a world of adventure and crossings, a path between life and death, as well as a link between the past and the future. Each poem has the capability to call to you from any part of the world.
The author dreams about a place where you could see everything you have ever seen or been through in one go. It may sound a little weird, but this album is definitely a revelation.
Postcolonial Love Poem, by Natalie Diaz
This book can definitely raise a few questions in your head. It is a river of poems and each of them has a deep emotional weight. It can tackle modern consequences and trigger futuristic emotions, but things can also be interpreted in a way that depicts everyday problems.
This book is about suffering, love, hate, languages, lands and so on. It is about desire, but also about disgrace. Things are pushed to their darkest edges in a way that is both sensual and violent. This release can surprise you, but it will also give you a feel good attitude – it will certainly inspire you.
On the same note, the author defines her writing conditions, location and issues. The book might be able to motivate you, but it can also inspire you to be happy about yourself.
Homie, by Danez Smith
Whether you feel lost, lonely, surrounded by lots of people or overwhelmed, Danez Smith’s best inspirational poetry book will not let you down. It can be classified as an anthem – an anthem of love, privacy and friendship.
The book is based on one of the author’s best friends and it aims to help you find intimacy and joy in the world around you. In a world where xenophobia and violence seem to take over, Danez Smith agrees that finding positivity is hard.
Her book can change that misconception. It is all about a call, a shout or perhaps a friend coming over. Small things can make you happy and this is what the author is trying to tell you.
Obit, by Victoria Chang
This is the best inspirational poetry book if you feel down after the loss of a loved one. Simply put, this book will help you move on, find closure and embrace life as it is – there are other things that can bring joy and fulfillment in your life.
Victoria Chang wrote this book after her mother died. She refused to write an elegy, but she came up with poetic obituaries for all the things that she has lost. The cultural impact of death on people is hard to describe in words, but the author has done a pretty good job at helping people understand it.
While the love for a dead one will inevitably become self-expression, this lyrical masterpiece defines an impressive testament for the living.
The Malevolent Volume, by Justin Phillip Reed
This book is not for everyone, but it will inspire certain feelings. It brings in some motives of mythology and explores darkness in a beautiful way. It shows the lurks hiding behind marginalized people as they have always been exploited and marginalized.
The book identifies different points of view in a violent way. The book can be revolting for some. But then, if you read it with an open mind, it will help you understand certain aspects of today’s society. To some, it could be a dark masterpiece. To others, it is an eye opener.
Gaining inspiration from this book might seem difficult, but it will most likely affect some perceptions based on revolting spirits.
Zonal, by Don Paterson
Zonal is an excellent collection of poems for those over 40 years old – or at least it feels this way. The author has an interesting point of view – it seems that the midlife crisis is not an actual crisis, but a state of mind that affects people throughout their lives and becomes obvious after a certain age.
The book has elements of fantasy and science fiction. Some of the hints and ideas in these poems are imaginative. They move fast, but they are also loose and can certainly provide dramatic element – a few horror cues come in to surprise too.
Bottom line, this book takes you to places that may feel limitless. It is definitely an inspirational option, regardless of your age.
Pale Colors In A Tall Field, by Carl Phillips
The author’s best inspirational poetry book takes the reader through a journey within the body and mind as a whole. Whether you feel lost, unmotivated or simply out of context, these poems will help you reinvent yourself and identify your mission in life.
At some point, the author tries to help readers understand memory. Imagine it as an array of colors. The best moments of your life come in prominent colors. With all these, pale colors will never be forgotten either.
The poems in this book will help you perceive everything as colors. Life becomes so much easier when you see it in a colorful way. Some shifts are easy and quick, while others take a toll. The book is dynamic and quite inspiring.
We Inherit What The Fires Left, by William Evans
William Evans provides an emotional masterpiece exploring the mindsets, mentalities and points of view people inherit from their families. From good things to injuries, these things are passed down between generations.
In this book, the story revolves around racial issues. Both dreams and injuries are transferred to children and grandchildren, who also pass them further. The book is quite emotional and brings in a bunch of electrifying poems, but it does have a solid point of view.
On the other hand, the author also analyzes what these inheritances are made of and how they can affect children. They do have a cost on the body and mind and it shows.
What Hurts Going Down, by Nancy Lee
This might be the best inspirational poetry book for girls and women. It explores two different recent eras – the era before the #MeToo movement and the era that started with it. Whether you feel lost or disappointed, you have to ask yourself – what is the element that keeps you alive?
The book is extremely inspirational for women who have been through similar problems in the past. It explores how socially ingrained elements still affect today’s society, yet they are against modern morals. Some of them are so strong that they can kill relationships and destroy womanhood.
All in all, these poems are not just motivational, but they also help the reader understand the uneasy territory women have to face on a daily basis.
Seeing The Body, by Rachel Eliza Griffiths
From grief and healing to radical self-love and society, this poetry book explores everything. You have a bunch of poems, as well as an appealing collection of photos that challenge everything you have ever believed in. Based on the poems, you can tell – it is about life changing loss.
Poems go in more directions – life, death, magic, music, trauma, brutality, art, womanhood, memories and imagination. While it may seem dark at times, it has a superb inspirational power due to its feel good sensations as you go through it.
The impact of photography and poems provides an interesting autobiography from the poet – the kind of work you can easily find yourself in.
Inspirational Poetry Books Conclusion
As a short final conclusion, choosing the best inspirational poetry book is difficult with so many options out there. At the same time, people find inspiration and motivation in different things, so what works for some people will not necessarily work for you too.
Some of these books are confusing. Some others are easy. Some of them may be irrelevant, while others are spot on. Choosing the best poems depends on your state and mindset.
If you are interested in inspirational poetry books, check our collection of short poetry books.