Being a black girl that loves poetry has always been a challenge for me. Most of the books of poetry that I read as a young girl growing up were written by white authors. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely enjoyed them, but I never really felt connected to the content. I read poetry about nature, love and all of that beautiful stuff, but rarely found one that I could fully relate to.Then I stumbled upon Words from a Wanderer by Alex Elle and since then, I have been on a quest to find books of poetry written by black and brown authors, especially women. I have found many incredible books, but I'm sharing my absolute favorites that I think every poetry loving black and brown girl should have.

Enjoy!

1. Words from a Wanderer by Alex Elle

2. Neon Soul by Alex Elle

Poet, Alex Elle / Photo: Mater Mea

3. Salt by Nayyirah Waheed

4. Soft Magic by Upile Chisala

5. Nectar by Upile Chisala

Poet, Upile Chisala / Photo: Zen Magazine

6. Questions for Ada by Ijeoma Umebinyuo

7. Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur

8. The Chaos of Longing by K. Y Robinson

9. Bone by Yrsa Daley-Ward

10. The Sweetness in Soil by Q. Gibson

11. The Flowering Woman by Q. Gibson

Poet, Q. Gibson / Photo: Her Network

Ijeoma UmebinyuoK. Y RobinsonNayyirah WaheedPoetryRupi KaurUpile ChisalaYrsa Daley-Ward