best poetry: linger and reflect - Something Splendid

Share the love.

My word for 2026 is LINGER, and I’ve been exploring many facets of the word. Different ways to slow down and savor. Nothing says “linger” quite like poetry. Although it makes up a small percentage of my reading time, it’s always time well spent. I’ve found the best poetry books to help you unwind and appreciate the beauty of words. Because poetry also makes me think of the Bible, I’ve also pulled together some information about biblical poetry.

I love Sing a Song of Seasons with a beautiful assortment of poetry selected by Fiona Waters.

I couldn’t love this book more! It’s a gorgeous hardback coffee table book featuring 366 nature poems. Chock full of both familiar verses and new favorites by a wide variety of poets such as Emily Dickinson, William Shakespeare, Robert Frost, John Updike, and many others. The book is organized by month, with a different poem for each day. It’s beautifully illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon, with pictures to celebrate the beauty in different seasons.

I can see this book becoming a treasured family ritual. Children and adults alike will enjoy the imagery and play of words. It serves as a good springboard for deeper discussion and study. Truly lovely.

Devotions by Mary Oliver is another book to savor.

In Devotions, Pulitzer Prize winning poet Mary Oliver gathers a deeply personal selection of her poems, spanning more than fifty years of writing. Carefully arranged by Oliver herself, the collection includes over 200 poems drawn from her first book No Voyage and Other Poems, published in 1963, to her final volume, Felicity, released in 2015. Wherever a reader begins, the book offers moments of beauty, clarity, and quiet attention.

Across these pages, Oliver’s signature voice invites us to linger with the natural world and to notice the connections that bind all living things. Her work has long resonated with a wide and devoted audience, and this collection serves as both a welcoming introduction and a meaningful return. Devotions stands as a lasting record of a poet who taught many readers how to slow down, look closely, and listen.

I’d also like to highlight two poets.

I greatly admire these two poets, and I’ve enjoyed spending time with their words. Keep in mind however, that much of their work is gritty. It’s not all easy to read. But it’s beautiful.

Amanda Gorman

Amanda Gorman is an award-winning poet whose words have reached audiences across the country. She became the youngest inaugural poet in United States history. (Find a transcript of her inaugural poem here.) A graduate of Harvard University, where she studied sociology, her work reflects a deep attention to community, justice, and hope.

Gorman has shared her poetry at the White House, the Library of Congress, and Lincoln Center. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times. Named the first National Youth Poet Laureate in 2017, she continues to encourage young voices through her leadership with 826 National (a youth writing network) and her work as a writer, speaker, and poet.

Consider looking for her work, including two lovely children’s books:

Something, Someday is a picture book by Amanda Gorman, illustrated by Christian Robinson, that invites readers to believe in the power of small, faithful actions. Through simple, poetic language and hopeful images, the book acknowledges how broken the world can feel while reminding us that change often begins with trying, caring, and working together. It’s a quiet encouragement to trust that even small gestures can make a lasting difference.
Change Sings is another picture book by Amanda Gorman, illustrated by Loren Long, that centers on the power of voice and shared action. Following a young girl and a diverse community, the story explores how change begins within and grows when people listen, speak up, and move together. It offers a hopeful reminder that transformation can be both personal and communal, shaped one voice at a time.

Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou was a beloved American poet, writer, and teacher whose words continue to shape conversations about dignity, justice, and the human spirit. Born in St. Louis and raised in the South and California, she drew deeply from her own life experiences, transforming hardship, memory, and hope into language that resonated across generations.

Best known for I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and for poetry that celebrates Black beauty, women’s strength, and resilience, Angelou was also a lifelong advocate for civil rights and education. Her work earned numerous honors, including the National Medal of Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Through both page and performance, her poetry invites readers to linger with truth, courage, and grace.

Best poetry: selected books by Maya Angelou

Her writing invites slow reading, reflection, and return.

And Still I Rise is perhaps her most enduring poetry collection. It carries resilience and truth telling. These are poems readers often return to over a lifetime, hearing something new each time. It includes her iconic poem Phenomenal Woman.
Maya Angelou has written several volumes of memoirs. She shares about her childhood and coming of age, her teenage years navigating young motherhood, and her adulthood and activism. Her love of language and beautiful turns of phrase shine through in these works as well. You’ll find frank discussions of abandonment, racism, trauma, and inner strength.
Life Doesn’t Frighten Me pairs Maya Angelou’s bold, rhythmic poem with the expressive artwork of Jean Michel Basquiat. Together, words and images explore childhood fears and the quiet strength it takes to face them. The book affirms courage rooted in self trust and imagination, inviting readers of all ages to name fear without being ruled by it.

Maya Angelou quotes

I can’t think about Maya Angelou without thinking of my favorite quote: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” This one deeply resonates with me. I tend to beat myself up when I mess up. I relive the mistake over and over. And over. I have a hard time letting go. But this quote helps me establish a growth mindset. Mistakes are not bad. Wrong turns are not the end. They’re inevitable, and they offer opportunities for learning. What I should stew over is a repeated mistake. (I have those too!) The ultimate goal is to keep growing and learning, and mistakes are steps along the way.

a book of poetry and lilacs with text "best poetry: linger and reflect"

What about poetry in the Bible?

Five books of the Bible are considered poetry: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. I’ve already spent considerable time exploring Psalms and Proverbs in my journey through Psalms and Proverbs, reflections on Psalm 23, Proverbs 31: shared flourishing, and even linger in the Psalms posts. Therefore, we’ll spend some time here with Job, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. Let’s dig in!

Job

Job tells the story of a person who faces profound loss and suffering, yet grapples with questions of justice, faith, and meaning. Through dialogues with friends and heartfelt prayers to God, Job explores the limits of human understanding and the mystery of life’s hardships. The book reminds readers that suffering is complex and often beyond simple explanations, while encouraging honesty, patience, and trust in the presence of a compassionate God. Its timeless reflections continue to resonate with anyone seeking resilience, perspective, and hope in difficult times.

Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes explores the fleeting nature of pleasure, the limits of human wisdom, and life’s unpredictability. Its poetic, reflective voice invites readers to find meaning in the present and to approach life with humility and awareness of mortality. Famous lines like “to everything there is a season” remind us that both joy and challenge are part of the human experience. Even today, the book speaks to readers seeking purpose, balance, and thoughtful reflection.

Song of Solomon

Song of Solomon is a lyrical book of the Bible that celebrates love, desire, and the beauty of human relationships. Through poetic imagery and dialogue, it honors romantic and physical love as a sacred, joyful part of life. Its verses invite readers to linger in the intimacy, passion, and mutual delight that love can bring, offering a timeless meditation on connection and longing.

Lingering with life and love

Job, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon offer three lenses on the human experience: suffering, reflection, and joy. Job shows the courage to face loss and wrestle with life’s questions. Ecclesiastes reminds us of the value of living in the present. Song of Solomon celebrates love, desire, and connection. Together, they invite us to linger thoughtfully in both life’s challenges and its beauty.

Have you read much poetry?

What are your favorites? Do you find it restful? Restorative? Have you ever tried writing poetry? I’d be interested to hear all about your poetry adventures! I have previously posted a five-star book review for a book written in verse, Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga. Check it out if you’d like to explore further.

Other posts in my word-of-the-year series around the word LINGER:

Other posts you may like:

Fondly,

Crysti