As someone who really enjoys poetry, I think it is a really under appreciated art. Lately, however, the rise of pop poetry on social media and poetic undertones in pop music has really helped it gain more popularity.

So, if you are looking to get into poetry, these are some of my favourite poets that you should read from.

Wendy Cope

She is one of the poets who really blew up on social media with her poem called The Orange and started a trend. It is of course one of my favourites, the simple act of peeling and sharing an orange. The poem is about cherishing the small moments, and appreciating the little acts, because these things compound later in life.

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Her writing style is witty, sharp and deceptively simple, she blends humour with deep emotional insight. Her poems and poetry collections are really easy to start with for beginners.

The structure of her poems often follows a modern version of haikus and sonnets. She explores themes like love, friendships, and human nature. Beneath the simplicity and lighthearted tone, her poetry carries wisdom and makes the reader reflect meaningfully.

Besides The Orange, you can check out her poetry collections, I haven’t read all of them, I’ve only read Serious Concerns. However, she has five collections so I’m sure you can find one that you enjoy! (Making Cocoa for Kingsley Amis, Serious Concerns, If I Don’t Know, Family Values, Anecdotal Evidence)

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Jump into the world of literary fiction with the one of these novels based on your existing favourites.

Ocean Vuong

Ocean Vuong is a Vietnamese American poet, essayist and novelist. His poetry is deeply emotional, lyrical, and emotionally intense. He explores themes like love, family, queerness, loss, trauma, and war. The Vietnamese heritages gives him an authentically painful but beautiful voice which is reflected in his poems.

His poetry collections take you on an emotional rollercoaster and leave you with feelings for days. One of my favourite poems of his is from his first poetry collection, Night Sky With Exit Wounds, called Untitled (Blue, Green, and Brown): Oil on Canvas: Mark Rothko: 1952. One of my favourite lines from it is, "Maybe we pray on your knees because god only listens when we're this close to the devil."

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He is simply one of those poets whose words are so hauntingly beautiful that they stay with you forever. He currently has two poetry collections, the second one, Time is a Mother, while he has also written novels with extremely poetic writing called, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous (which is also one of his poems) and The Emperor of Gladness which comes out in a few months in May.

Lucas Jones

Lucas Jones is a British actor, director, musician and poetry who gained popularity on social media for his spoken poetry. His poems explore themes of love, relationships, wars and everything in the world. His poems often explore current themes and global issues acting as social commentaries and raising awareness.

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His first poetry collection can now be bought in audiobook form, which I personally think is the best way to feel his poetry because it is the pain in his voice that amplifies meaning, (Sorry I Was Miles Away) In the Year of Romance. He also published a new collection called The Camera Loves You, Baby.

One of my favourite poems by him is called No Flowers Please.

Dakota Warren

Dakota Warren is an author, poetess and performer from rural Australia and in 2022, she published her first poetry collection called On Sun Swallowing (which went on to win the Goodreads Choice Best Poetry Book of 2022).

Her poetry is moody, and introspective, and has a dark academic aesthetic. She explores themes of existentialism, love, religion, self-reflection and philosophical discussions. She has a devoted following that is almost cult-like and they are drawn to her haunting, melancholic, and literary undertone (I am one of those devotees).

This poetry is consuming and thought-provoking. I have been unable to stop thinking about them since the day I read her collection.

A few of my favourites from her collection are The Art of Bone Carving and Funeral Song. She refers to literary works such as Macbeth, and her words are captivating and hauntingly beautiful.

You can also find some of her other writing in her literary arts journal or her blog.

Conclusion

Poetry is a deeply emotional and personal art form and the poets I mentioned all bring something unique to the table—whether it’s Wendy Cope’s wit, Ocean Vuong’s lyrical intensity, Lucas Jones’ poignant social commentary, or Dakota Warren’s haunting introspection. No matter your taste, there’s a poet out there whose words will resonate with you. Hopefully, this list gives you a starting point to explore the beauty of poetry and discover new favourites along the way!