The ultimate form of poetry and self-care is nurturing the precious soul within you. When we cultivate a bond with the light within, that flame grows and emanates from every pore of your being. No number of bubble baths, tree poses, or face masks will cleanse away the internal messiness we face with everyday life. But if we take a moment to still ourselves, we can address whatever is waiting for us inside. Self-care is much less about what we do and more about how we feel as we do it.
Poetry is a powerful starting point for an inward journey.
The words guide us.
They support us.
Each line holds the opportunity for the breakthrough we might’ve been craving but were too busy to hunt down ourselves. Pairing a good collection with your favorite self-care ritual takes you somewhere transcendent. Enter a world of self-love and understanding with these pairings. Take a moment to center yourself.
You are more than worthy of it!
Poetry for Your Self-Care Ritual:
Meditation + Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman
Find an anchor in the stillness with Amanda Gorman’s work. Her collection of hope, grief, and history offers readers a moment to find grounding and reflection. Through meditative and rhythmic lines, Gorman’s poetry breathes. Discover an intention to be set before your meditation or afterwards to continue through an aligned day.
Bubble Bath + Bone by Yrsa Daley-Ward
Bone dives into the rawness and intimacy of desire, faith, and identity. This collection is best savored slowly and quietly, like the bubbles popping over time. Daley-Ward’s vulnerability will soften your defenses and allow your spirit to cleanse as your skin does the same.
Face Mask & Skin Care Ritual + The Sunflower Cast a Spell to Save Us from the Void by Jackie Wang
For the busy, overstimulated mind, Jackie Wang’s dreamy, surreal poetry is the cosmic answer. Wang’s poetry is otherworldly, transporting you to somewhere magical just as your skincare moment does. Her dreamy language will cover your mind in a blanket of stars. Breathe, relax, and soak in her poems as your skin soaks up the face mask’s goodness.
Morning Walk or Nature Break + Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Mans
Spoken-word-style poetry that feels like an honest conversation with a friend? Count us in! Jasmine Mans will walk the path with you. With subjects centered around Black womanhood, roots, and memory, the road home becomes clear. Mans’s lyrical poetry will match your strides perfectly. Grab your favorite and read at either end of your journey. See what truths her work shines a light on for you.
Yoga Practice + Salt by Nayyirah Waheed
Reflect with each line just as you would with every pose. Minimalist and meditative, Salt allows room for her audiences to gently turn a little more inward. Feel her poetry in your body and note what arises as you do.
Journaling + A Nail the Evening Hangs On by Monica Sok
Monica Sok’s debut reveals layers of the Cambodian diaspora, healing, and ancestral memories through storytelling. Read a few pages to tap into the memories of your lineage before journaling. Your personal excavation is worthy of being explored and written.
Slow Morning Coffee + Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head by Warsan Shire
Gracing the pages like a soft-spoken sermon, Shire’s textured poetry is filled with notes of survival and strength. Much like that coffee in hand. With a warm mug, this collection will ignite a fire in the person you’re becoming and help you bid adieu to the human you once were.
