Salem's Picks
This snappy collection of poems can be read in a single sitting and I recommend you do so over lunch. O'Hara paints lovely little portraits of domestic and city life with the tenderness of a close friend describing their day. My favorites in this collection are "Song," "Ave Maria," and "Steps."
Most well-known as one of the only novels to come out in the 1950s featuring a queer relationship wherein the lovers don't die or suddenly realize they're straight; I also recommend this because Patricia Highsmith is one of the most underrated writers of the 20th Century.
One of my all-time faves. Chaotic, surreal... This book has been called everything from post-modern to pornographic and there are excellent arguments for both. A disturbing, inspired collage of confessional poetry, gender theory, and dirty pictures.
Some critics have called Anne Carson the greatest English language writer alive today and I have yet to find an alternative. This book seamlessly blends prose, poetry, and mythology in a beautiful reimagining of the Heracles (or Hercules) myth.
Whether this is your first or millionth encounter with this collection of poetry I cannot recommend it enough. Sylvia Plath is one of the first poets I read that made me love the medium, and the one I revisit most often.
Fast, punchy magical realism. Recommend for fans of Amy Hempel, Aimee Bender, and beautiful absurdity.