As we continue to explore Americana this month, we’re pleased to dive into verse. Especially considering how Taylor Swift embraced a poetry-based aesthetic for her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, poems are celebrating an increase in attention these days. (The pop singer even name-dropped writers Dylan Thomas and Patti Smith in the album, leading to a spike in Google searches since the album’s release. Poetry fans, rejoice!)
Here we take a look at ten of the best Americana poets, and where you can start with each of them.
10. John Murillo
John Murillo’s second poetry collection is titled Kontemporary Amerikan Poetry. Concerned with ideas of institutional violence against Black and Latino people, memory, and justice, Murillo’s writing is conversational and accessible, reminding readers that poetry is for everyone and a powerful tool for social change.
9. Langston Hughes
A key figure in the Harlem Renaissance, Langston Hughes was one of the first major writers to depict the Black experience through the pioneering medium of “jazz poetry.” Both rhythmic and colloquial, Hughes’ writing captures an often-overlooked aspect of Americana, which is the role of race in society.
The poem “I, Too” is a thought-provoking celebration of Americana, advocating against the separation of patriotism and Blackness.
8. Robert Frost
Arguably one of America’s most famous poets of the last hundred years, Robert Frost was a prolific writer. He is particularly noteworthy for both his use of colloquial, everyday language, as well as his unmatched four Pulitzer Prizes for poetry.
Most of his poems grapple with deeply American themes, such as rural life, loneliness and isolation, and identity and self-reflection. Both personal and universal, Frost’s poems are masterful and filled with just the right amount of ambiguity.
In case you’re looking for an entry point, “Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening” is it.
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7. Claudia Rankine
Decorated poet and writer Claudia Rankine is perhaps best known for her 2015 collection Citizen: An American Lyric, which takes a resolute look at racial relations in the United States. Through a melange of verse, image, and prose, Rankine pulls from a variety of influences to present us with a stark look at the Black experience in contemporary America.
6. E. E. Cummings
Having produced approximately 2,900 poems in his lifetime, E. E. Cummings is one of Americana’s most prolific writers, and he is regarded as a key voice in twentieth-century American poetry. His playful, often brief poems challenge our notions of grammar and syntax, resulting in a delightfully avant-garde exploration of the power of language.
His first collection of poems, Tulips and Chimneys, is a fantastic choice for readers curious about his work.
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5. Wendell Berry
Writer Wendell Berry is almost as famous for his environmental activism as he is for his poetry. His verse is informed by his experiences farming in Kentucky, and his poems often speak to ideas of sustainability and simple living.
“The Peace Of Wild Things” in particular is a powerful representation of the central themes in his work: finding solace in nature and protecting our natural resources for future generations. A must-read for anyone who’s ever found joy in the outdoors.
4. Audre Lorde
Existing at the intersection of Black, lesbian, and feminist identities, Audre Lorde believed fully in writing as a tool for social change. Her verse often explores ideas of class, gender, sexuality, and race, advocating for an end to oppression and for greater equity and equality within society. While not as famous as writers like Robert Frost or Emily Dickinson, Lorde’s influence is visible across contemporary American poetry.
Her 1987 collection The Black Unicorn is an excellent starting point.
3. Emily Dickinson
Despite only publishing ten poems during the course of her life, Emily Dickinson has since become regarded as a figurehead in American poetry. (Her life was most recently adapted into a 2019 Apple+ series starring Hailee Steinfeld, though it was sadly canceled after three brief seasons.) Known for her unconventional use of punctuation, slant rhyme, and short lines, Dickinson’s poems are often concerned with ideas of death, spirituality, and nature.
If you’re interested in reading more, check out the collection of her work over at The Poetry Foundation.
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2. Tracy K. Smith
Life On Mars, the 2011 poetry collection by Tracy K. Smith, might just change your life. The collection garnered her the 2012 Pulitzer Prize in poetry, and rightfully so. Part elegy for her father, who worked on the Hubble Space Telescope, and part celebration of pop cultural icons, Life On Mars captures so much of the wonder and liveliness that are hallmarks of Americana.
If we’ve piqued your interest, check out her poem “Don’t You Wonder, Sometimes?,” where she uses the seemingly-infinite figure of David Bowie to ask bigger questions about the meaning of life.
1. Walt Whitman
Few writers have captured the spirit of Americana like Walt Whitman. His influence on American culture is everywhere, from television series like Breaking Bad to films like Dead Poets Society. His most legendary work is undoubtedly the epic poetry collection Leaves Of Grass, which was first published in 1855. In it, he celebrates nature, human relationships, individualism, and democracy.
One of his most famous poems, “When Lilacs Last In The Dooryard Bloom’d,” was written as an elegy after the assassination of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. While lengthy, the poem is a worthwhile read for its beautifully optimistic vision of America: a land of hope, unity, equality, and interconnectedness.
Whether you’re a verse veteran or an enthusiastic first-timer looking to learn more about poetry, Americana poetry has something for you, and we hope this list has helped you find it. Happy rhyming!
