My Favorite Poems on Vocal This Month

I love reading poetry and wanted to share some recent gems I found on Vocal! I believe it's important to uplift other writers, especially when their work resonates with us. Each of the poems below made it onto this list because it made me feel something. If you enjoy them, don't hesitate to clap and comment to support these talented authors.

Life in the Mist

In this beautifully crafted poem, Ellie Hoovs captures an atmosphere of coldness, uncertainty, and lyrical confusion. The subtitle sets a surreal and whimsical stage.

I relate deeply to the theme of emotional fragility and self-doubt, feelings which she has transformed into beautiful art and fleshed out in a unique way.

I thoroughly enjoyed the juxtaposition between the inherent fear of coldness and ambiguity and the false sense of comfort provided by the mist: "They tuck me in & urge me to rest," followed by the icy mist continuing its manipulation.

There's also a theme of extremes. "Every voice here is a whisper or a shout," which I interpreted as a lack of moderation and an inability to achieve balance.

My favorite verse was:

The soft ambiance here feels hard -

forced and fake

like a baker's show cake

where the inside is Styrofoam.

- Ellie Hoovs

Wrecked Angels

I am so happy I discovered the work of Zivah Avraham, a talented and original poet! In this cut-up poem, Zivah took the first and last sentences from the first and last ten chapters of The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood and combined the first and last half of each sentence to form the two sections. How cool is that?

The result is incredibly interesting, creating a disjointed reality filled with vivid descriptions of settings and emotions. I felt completely immersed in the contrast between comfort and discomfort, freedom and restriction.

The fragmented structure of the poem evokes uncertainty, allows for multiple interpretations, and pays homage to the original work in a very unique way. I think the value of the poem lies in its emotional resonance, as it features universal themes of isolation, change, and loss. I absolutely loved it. My favorite line was "my own time like birds with their wings clipped."

Soldier's Daughter

In this almost meditative poem, tina. uses powerful symbols such as the soldier, the heart, and battles to blend the martial and the emotional. I like how she repeats the line, "some battles are better lost," to give the poem a rhythmic quality.

There are beautiful oppositions captured here: strength and vulnerability, defeat and acceptance, which add a lot of depth to the writing. I personally resonate with the reflective and somber tone, and I think that the underlying strength and resilience really shine through the mood shifts in the poem.

While it feels personal, like most great pieces of writing, this work is incredibly relatable, as most of us can resonate with the feelings of loss and love, bouncing back, and feeling both vulnerable and strong at the same time.

Favorite line: "some victories, unclaimed, never ours to win."

The Art Job

In this vividly descriptive poem, The Dani Writer weaves emotion and symbolism to produce evocative descriptions of art and portrays beauty as a seductive force. Medical imagery, such as "on the flip side of the A4 graph with abnormal ECG rhythms," joins the party unexpectedly.

I loved the alliterations "dark depths" and "perennial pastel pleasures," which add lyricism and musicality. We can tell that this is the work of a seasoned writer who is well-versed in storytelling and capable of weaving in seamleassly mythological and literary references.

"The Art Job" resonated with me on multiple levels, from a personal connection to a grander, almost mythological quest for understanding and beauty. What a riveting read!

Final notes

I hope you all enjoyed these poems and will support these talented writers by reading and engaging with their work on Vocal. I am by no means an art curator, but I hope that my humble opinions piqued your interest and helped you discover something beautiful.

If you were moved by at least one verse you discovered today, I would consider my mission complete. Thanks for reading!