{"title":"Poetry for Beginners - Where to Start","description":"\u003cp\u003e10 Books I'd recommend to someone new to reading poetry - a mix of old and new, all magical introductions to the world of beautiful prose.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"new-and-selected-poems-volume-one-by-mary-oliver-9780807068779","title":"New and Selected Poems, Volume One","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMary Oliver was awarded the National Book Award for \u003cem\u003eNew and Selected Poems, Volume One\u003c\/em\u003e. Since its initial appearance, it has become one of the best-selling volumes of poetry in the country. This collection features thirty poems published only in this volume as well as selections from the poet's first eight books.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMary Oliver's perceptive, brilliantly crafted poems about the natural landscape and the fundamental questions of life and death have won high praise from critics and readers alike. \"Do you love this world?\" she interrupts a poem about peonies to ask the reader. \"Do you cherish your humble and silky life?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eShe makes us see the extraordinary in our everyday lives, how something as common as light can be \"an invitation\/to happiness,\/and that happiness,\/when it's done right,\/is a kind of holiness,\/palpable and redemptive.\" She illuminates how a near miss with an alligator can be the catalyst for seeing the world \"as if for the second time\/the way it really is.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOliver's passionate demonstrations of delight are powerful reminders of the bond between every individual, all living things, and the natural world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46224858349804,"sku":"9780807068779","price":36.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780807068779.jpg?v=1740697285"},{"product_id":"poetry-is-not-a-luxury-by-anonymous-9781398537576","title":"Poetry Is Not a Luxury","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEvery poem is a revelation\u003c\/em\u003e - Florence Welch\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the creator of the beloved @PoetryIsNotaLuxury Instagram account comes a gorgeous poetry anthology that serves as both a gift and a guide for readers through every season of life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cstrong\u003eSummer\u003c\/strong\u003e, you’ll find lush landscapes and love poems suited for weddings and anniversaries, alongside expressions of joy and exhilaration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAutumn\u003c\/strong\u003e ushers in nostalgic poems about home, family, friendship, nesting, and gratitude.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTurn to \u003cstrong\u003eWinter\u003c\/strong\u003e for lyrics about loneliness or an ode to comfort.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpring\u003c\/strong\u003e is packed full of verse celebrating new beginnings and all that the future might hold.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEach poem has been selected from centuries of verse from around the world, with an emphasis on living poets. Friends old and new await, with selections from Rita Dove, Victoria Chang, Ross Gay, Naomi Shihab Nye, C.D. Wright, Eileen Myles, Ada Limón, Ilya Kaminsky, Jos Charles, and more.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the heights of new love to the furrows of sorrow, from special occasions to a morning pick-me-up, there is something here for everyone, in any season of need.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Simon \u0026 Schuster NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46439156056300,"sku":"9781398537576","price":28.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/25829613482685.jpg?v=1747206645"},{"product_id":"milk-and-honey-by-rupi-kaur-9781449474256","title":"Milk and Honey","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book is divided into four chapters, and each chapter serves a different purpose. Each section deals with a different pain and heals a different heartache.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMilk and Honey\u003c\/em\u003e takes readers through a journey of the most bitter moments in life and finds sweetness in them, because there is sweetness everywhere if you are just willing to look.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Simon \u0026 Schuster NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46491977515244,"sku":"9781449474256","price":28.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/1566403482704.jpg?v=1748414078"},{"product_id":"the-orange-and-other-poems-by-wendy-cope-9780571389513","title":"The Orange and other poems","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy heart has made its mind up\u003cbr\u003eAnd I'm afraid it's you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Orange\u003c\/em\u003e provides the perfect introduction to Wendy Cope, one of Britain's wittiest, best-selling and best-loved poets. In poems that can turn from laugh-out-loud funny to deeply moving, Wendy Cope offers reflections on love and life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the joy of falling—and being—in love to ways to help you deal with a painful break-up or the memories of people loved and lost, this is a book you will want to savour and share with all your friends.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Wendy Cope's readership, numerous and adoring, is the envy of most poets. Cope's real strength lies not in charm or insight (she has buckets of both) but in the pitch perfect exactitude of her writing.' \u003cem\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46522533904620,"sku":"9780571389513","price":22.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/11571243482391.jpg?v=1749038139"},{"product_id":"poetry-unbound-by-padraig-o-tuama-9781838856359","title":"Poetry Unbound","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis inspiring collection, curated by the host of the \u003cem\u003ePoetry Unbound\u003c\/em\u003e, presents fifty poems about what it means to be alive in the world today. Each poem is paired with Pádraig's illuminating commentary that offers personal anecdotes and generous insights into the content of the poem.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEngaging, accessible, and inviting, \u003cem\u003ePoetry Unbound\u003c\/em\u003e is the perfect companion for everyone who loves poetry and for anyone who wants to go deeper into poetry but doesn't necessarily know how to do so.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eContributors include Hanif Abdurraqib, Patience Agbabi, Raymond Antrobus, Margaret Atwood, Ada Limón, Kei Miller, Roger Robinson, Lemn Sissay, Layli Long Soldier, and more.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46590314873068,"sku":"9781838856359","price":27.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/19548413482842.jpg?v=1750893793"},{"product_id":"100-poets-by-john-carey-9780300266993","title":"100 Poets","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eA wonderfully readable anthology of our greatest poetry, chosen by the author of \u003ci\u003eA Little History of Poetry\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\n\u003cb\u003e\"Does anyone know more about poetry than John Carey? Almost certainly not.\"—\u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA poem seems a fragile thing. Change a word and it is broken. But poems outlive empires and survive the devastation of conquests. Celebrated author John Carey here presents a uniquely valuable anthology of verse based on a simple principle: select the one hundred greatest poets from across the centuries, and then choose their finest poems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRanging from Homer and Sappho to Donne and Milton, Plath and Angelou, this is a delightful and accessible introduction to the very best that poetry can offer. Familiar favourites are nestled alongside marvellous new discoveries—all woven together with Carey’s expert commentary. Particular attention is given to the works of female poets, like Christina Rossetti and Charlotte Mew. This is a personal guide to the poetry that shines brightest through the ages.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWithin its pages, readers will find treasured poems that remain with you for life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"John Wiley and Sons Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46795976900844,"sku":"9780300266993","price":23.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/24667673482294.jpg?v=1757067763"},{"product_id":"i-still-believe-in-miracles-by-lucas-jones-9781529971491","title":"I Still Believe in Miracles","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eI Still Believe in Miracles\u003c\/em\u003e is a collection of poetry exploring themes of masculinity, love, grief, and connection. This is the trade debut from Instagram phenomenon Lucas Jones, perfect for fans of yung pueblo, Hussain Manawer, and Whitney Hanson.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA collection of powerful contemporary poetry, \u003cem\u003eI Still Believe in Miracles\u003c\/em\u003e delves deeply into themes of masculinity, love, grief, and connection. This work comes from British poet and viral phenomenon Lucas Jones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'You're here to make all the wonder make sense. You're not the life - you're the living itself.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHow do you respond to fear, grief, heartbreak, war, loss, injustice, and a world that seems more divided and lost than ever? Poet Lucas Jones explores how we search for meaning in difficult times in this remarkable homage to the beautiful humanity of choosing to love despite it all.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePowerful, uplifting, and authentic, these poems remind you that there is profound and unwavering hope.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House Distribution","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47269577097452,"sku":"9781529971491","price":35.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/20cd16aa6f26b3c4e65da3fba0f58be0.jpg?v=1769986264"},{"product_id":"the-love-of-my-life-by-whitney-hanson-9781529442298","title":"the love of my life","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe brand new poetry collection from the internationally bestselling poet and TikTok phenomenon, Whitney Hanson\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ethe love of my life\u003c\/em\u003e is a poetry collection that traces the process of rediscovering a love for life after change, disconnection, and personal upheaval. Using the metaphor of fires, the book is structured in three sections: \u003cstrong\u003eBurning\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eAshes\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003eReclamation\u003c\/strong\u003e—to reflect the cycles of destruction, numbness, and renewal that accompany deep inner work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThrough themes of identity, loss, healing, and emotional reconstruction, the collection explores what it means to unlearn inherited beliefs, confront the weight of the past, and slowly rebuild a relationship with oneself, others, and the world. This is not a book primarily about romantic love, but about reengaging with life by confronting the past and reconnecting with a sense of self.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReaders love Whitney Hanson\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'This book is everything I needed and more' \u003cem\u003e5* reader review\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'A phenomenal writer and she portrays the truths of life so beautifully' \u003cem\u003e5* reader review\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'This book did wonders for my mental health and heartbreak' \u003cem\u003e5* reader review\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'I felt like she was talking about my own experiences' \u003cem\u003e5* reader review\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Best poet out there' \u003cem\u003e5* reader review\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'I felt such an emotional connection to these poems' \u003cem\u003e5* reader review\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Gave me literal goosebumps' \u003cem\u003e5* reader review\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47361171226860,"sku":"9781529442298","price":31.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781529442298.jpg?v=1772849790"},{"product_id":"emily-dickinson-by-emily-dickinson-9781474625647","title":"Emily Dickinson","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmerican poet Emily Dickinson is revered around the world and influenced many feminist artists and writers. Her work is some of the best known and most quoted or adapted:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without the words, and never stops at all' - Emily Dickinson\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDickinson received a very good education, but chose to return home to Amherst, Massachusetts, where she spent the rest of her life, writing more than a poem a day until her death. Her refusal to compromise her highly condensed expression meant that only a tiny fraction of her work was published in her lifetime. Even today, her work feels startlingly modern:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Dogs are better than human beings because they know but do not tell' - Emily Dickinson\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'The dearest ones of time, the strongest friends of the soul - BOOKS'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a superb collection from a truly iconic poet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Gardners Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47596334612716,"sku":"9781474625647","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781474625647-emily-dickinson.jpg?v=1777921268"},{"product_id":"poetry-aotearoa-yearbook-2026-9781991309235","title":"Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2026","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor this 75th anniversary edition of \u003cem\u003ePoetry Aotearoa Yearbook\u003c\/em\u003e, editor Tracey Slaughter rounds up essential new poetry, reviews, and essays from both established and emerging New Zealand poets. Another packed issue, #60 showcases the raw and vital in 138 new poems — including from this year’s featured poet, Josiah Morgan — and 29 reviews.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIts publication marks 75 years since poet Louis Johnson established \u003cem\u003eNew Zealand Poetry Yearbook\u003c\/em\u003e in 1951, and it’s still as important and relevant now as it was then. It’s the ideal way to catch up with the latest poems and reviews by some of this country’s best-known poets and literary critics.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Upstart Distribution","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47768957845740,"sku":"9781991309235","price":37.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/poetry-aotearoa-yearbook-2026-hi-def-cover.jpg?v=1782091258"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/poetry-for-beginners-where-to-start.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}