Transom’s 2026 National Poetry Month Selections

True to the spirit of whimsy and discovery that is inherent in poetry, I’ve hit shuffle on our poetry section and pulled these six titles to read this month.

"Up Late" by Nick Laird (Copy)

"A Suit or a Suitcase" by Maggie Smith (Copy)

"Pluck" by Adam Hughes (Copy)

"Atria," by D.S.Waldman (Copy)

"Gay Girl Prayers" by Emily Austin (Copy)

Selected Poems by Derek Walcott (Copy)

And in addition to seeing two of my favorite living poets in person (Carl Phillips and Marie Howe), the Sarah Lawrence College Poetry Festival introduced me to a few new favorites this year as well. R.A. Villanueva led an insightful and inspiring generative poetry session, while Sahar Muradi and Dorothea Lasky each delivered unforgettable readings of their work.