#1
Months on List: 6
"When We Talk to God" by Sharifa Stevens is a heartfelt, beautifully illustrated gift book that articulates the joys, sorrows, and spiritual experiences of Black women in contemporary society.
When We Talk To God: Prayers And Poems For Black Women
by Sharifa Stevens • Thomas Nelson (May 13, 2025) • 6 Months on List
#2
Months on List: 6
In his latest poetic offering, "My Dear Wildflower", renowned author r.h. Sin provides an intimate journey from despair to self-worth, revisiting beloved themes and offering profound insights on love, regret, and heartbreak with his signature honesty and warmth.
My Dear Wildflower
by R.h. Sin • Andrews Mcmeel Publishing (May 20, 2025) • 6 Months on List
#3
Months on List: 9
This collection of poetry and prose explores the emotional and spiritual work of healing by confronting internal barriers to self-forgiveness, growth, and purposeful freedom.
The Freedom Of Forward
by Morgan Richard Olivier • Oak Agencies (May 21, 2024) • 9 Months on List
#4
Months on List: 1
This poetry collection explores the journey of survival and discovering joy, expressed through inventive and resonant poems that celebrate companionship, intimacy, love, and a sense of belonging in the world.
The Natural Order Of Things: Poems
by Donika Kelly • Graywolf Press (October 7, 2025) • 1 Months on List
#5
Months on List: 1
This is a compilation of the finest new and previously published poems that explores themes of pain, history, and the future, serving as a testament to the necessity of poetry.
Intentions Of Thunder: New And Selected Poems
by Patricia Smith • Scribner Book Company (September 30, 2025) • 1 Months on List
#6
Months on List: 1
This is a debut poetry collection that uses family memorabilia to preserve the stories and voices of the poet's relatives, creating a unique communion with the past and departed loved ones.
Cord Swell
by Brittny Ray Crowell • W. W. Norton & Company (October 7, 2025) • 1 Months on List
#7
Months on List: 1
The book is a moving collection of poetry about moving on from first love and rediscovering oneself, told through the perspective of one woman's experiences with heartbreak, rebound, and new love.
The Thing About Falling: Poems
by Tarriona Ball • Andrews Mcmeel Publishing (October 7, 2025) • 1 Months on List
#8
Months on List: 22
In his second major poetry collection, <em>Flowers on the Moon,</em> social media sensation Billy Chapata offers a poignant blend of advice and experience on love, loss, and resilience, aiming to inspire hope, growth, and self-acceptance in readers through his insightful prose and poetry.
Flowers On The Moon
by Billy Chapata • Andrews Mcmeel Publishing (October 20, 2020) • 22 Months on List
#9
Months on List: 14
An intimate collection of 72 handwritten poems uncovers the raw talent, vibrant spirit, and posthumous legacy of Tupac Shakur, offering a poignant glimpse into the legendary artist's enigmatic world and his message of hope.
The Rose That Grew From Concrete
by Tupac Shakur • Mtv Books (November 1, 1999) • 14 Months on List
#10
Months on List: 2
This poetry collection offers a powerful critique of current political and societal issues, touching on topics such as police brutality and white supremacy, while also reflecting on personal history and everyday life.
The New Book: Poems, Letters, Blurbs, And Things
by Nikki Giovanni • William Morrow & Company (September 2, 2025) • 2 Months on List
#11
Months on List: 3
A poetry collection blending cosmic wonder with earthly realities, exploring love, loss, and the human experience through sci-fi imagery and personal reflection.
Life On Mars: Poems
by Tracy K. Smith • Graywolf Press (May 10, 2011) • 3 Months on List
#12
Months on List: 1
This is a poetry collection, focusing on themes of spirit, race, and nature, written by a mindfulness teacher with a goal to inspire people to take responsibility for their own state of consciousness.
Morning Night: Poems On Spirit, Race, And Nature
by Larry Ward • Lotus Moss Press (October 14, 2025) • 1 Months on List
#13
Months on List: 22
In this special gift edition, Amanda Gorman's historic and inspiring poem <em>The Hill We Climb,</em> read at President Joe Biden's inauguration, presents a message of unity and healing, complete with an enduring foreword by Oprah Winfrey - a compelling memento of the promise of America and the power of poetry.
The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem For The Country
by Amanda Gorman • Viking (March 30, 2021) • 22 Months on List
#14
Months on List: 1
This is a poetic exploration of racial identity, masculinity, and recovery, seen through the eyes of a black man growing up in the deep South with a white mother, as he overcomes personal trauma and addiction.
A Love Tap
by Bernardo Wade • Lookout Books (October 21, 2025) • 1 Months on List
#15
Months on List: 18
This comprehensive anthology presents the life's work of Langston Hughes, a pillar of the Harlem Renaissance, featuring all his published poems, including well-known masterpieces and previously suppressed verses, spanning five decades of influential literature enriched with annotations by renowned scholars Arnold Rampersad and David Roessel.
The Collected Poems Of Langston Hughes
by Langston Hughes • Vintage (October 31, 1995) • 18 Months on List
#16
Months on List: 22
In her luminous poetry collection <em>Call Us What We Carry,</em> #1 New York Times bestselling author Amanda Gorman masterfully weaves a lyrical tapestry of history, language, and identity, transforming the collective grief of a global pandemic into a beacon of hope and healing.
Call Us What We Carry: Poems
by Amanda Gorman • Viking (January 23, 2024) • 22 Months on List
#16
Months on List: 1
This poetry collection connects America's current situation to its complex history and spiritual elements, addressing themes of citizenship, motherhood, and artistry, including erasures of historical documents, corporate pollution, near-death experiences, and reflections on the African American Civil War experience.
Wade In The Water: Poems (paperback)
by Tracy K. Smith • Graywolf Press (March 26, 2019) • 1 Months on List
#18
Months on List: 1
This is a powerful collection of poetry that serves as a healing and prayer tool, delving into themes of rebirth, renewal, childhood nightmares, poverty, racism, loss, and finding joy amidst all these struggles, deeply rooted in Black Christian tradition.
Joy In The Belly Of A Riot: Poems, Prayers, Memories, And Meditations
by Barbara Fant • Amistad Press (September 2, 2025) • 1 Months on List
#19
Months on List: 15
A poetic meditation on loss, renewal, and gratitude, drawing wisdom from the cycles of nature, the garden, and the orchard.
Catalog Of Unabashed Gratitude (pitt Poetry Series)
by Ross Gay • University Of Pittsburgh Press (January 7, 2015) • 15 Months on List
#20
Months on List: 17
A heartfelt poetry collection capturing the joys, struggles, and resilience of life through Maya Angelou’s powerful and lyrical voice.
Poems: Just Give Me A Cool Drink Of Water ’fore I Diiie/oh Pray My Wings Are Gonna Fit Me Well/and Still I Rise/shaker, Why Don’t You Sing?
by Maya Angelou • Bantam (January 1, 1996) • 17 Months on List
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Sales Data Source: Circana BookScan. Represents U.S. print sales from thousands of retailers.
Methodology: Books are categorized and filtered for Black Authors by the African American Literature Book Club. This list is a sneak peek into the Black Book Accelerator initiative.
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