Recent Poetry Reviews: A Roundup of Exceptional Works

Discovering New Voices in Poetry

A recent review roundup from The Guardian showcases a diverse selection of poetry collections, each offering unique perspectives and styles. The review highlights six exceptional works, providing insight into the world of contemporary poetry.

Haunting the Black Air by Anthony Joseph

Joseph's follow-up to his TS Eliot prize-winning Sonnets for Albert sees his poetic approach become more radical. He pays homage to avant-garde writers such as Will Alexander and Nathaniel Mackey, while exploring themes of nostalgia, grief, and magnetic feelings.

Selected Poems by Leontia Flynn

Flynn's collection is a glorious reintroduction to her mordant wit, imaginative image-making, and unerring ability to puncture pretension. Her poems remain fresh and relevant, even after more than 20 years of publishing.

You Must Live: New Poetry from Palestine

This anthology features over 30 poets living in Gaza and the West Bank, with work written in the last few years. The poems testify to the resilience of the artists and the role that poetry still has to give voice and bear witness in times of crisis.

Melete by Jennifer Lee Tsai

Lee Tsai's debut is a sprawling mix of poetry and prose exploring second-generation Chinese identity in the UK. The book feels roughly hewn, fiercely articulating the need to write and create something beautiful.

Sparrow on the Rooftop by Rachel Long

Long's second collection has replaced the playfulness of her debut with a directness of diction and image. The poems pull you up with their unflinching gaze, tackling topics such as alcoholism, eating disorders, and grief.

Somebody Should Have Pressed Record by Galia Admoni

Admoni's narrative poem explores the premise of starting a relationship with an imaginary version of an actor. Her tone is reminiscent of Georges Perec, both in its jabs at contemporary living and in what it reveals about the difficulties we have in making sense of ourselves in the absence of others.