Do you want to join a book club dedicated to poetry? We’ve featured 10 top poetry book clubs for you below.
1. Poetry Discussion Circle
New York Public Library Book Clubs are a number of book clubs situated in New York City, including Poetry Discussion Circle. With services being offered in the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island, New York Public Library is proud to be a source of information and a place that local residents can find community.
New York Public Library Book Clubs offer a range of different book clubs geared towards adults, teens and children. Their different book clubs include some that specifically focus on poetry, including “Poetry Discussion Circle”, a book club that meets in person at Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library in New York and meets on the third Tuesday of the month to discuss poetry on different themes and topics.
Learn more about Poetry Discussion Circle!
2. The Rumpus Book Clubs: Poetry
The Rumpus is an independent literary and culture magazine that has been active since 2009. Owner Alyson Sinclair continues to push the standards of this organization, which continues to be a standard bearer in terms of what constitutes quality literature.
The Rumpus offers subscriptions to two book clubs, one for prose and one for poetry. The Rumpus Book Clubs: Poetry costs $30 a month to join and allows participants to participate in online moderated discussions with the book’s authors. Previous book club meetings of The Rumpus Book Clubs: Poetry have been about titles like “Return Flight” by Jennifer Huang and “Fixed Stars” by Marisa Siegel. Interested participants should register for the next month by the 15th of the month before.
Contact The Rumpus Book Clubs!
3. The Living Poets Society Poetry Book Club
The Living Poets Society Poetry Book Club is a book club that gets together once a month to discuss a shared book of poetry amongst its book club members. The book club is run out of Boulder Bookstore in Boulder, Colorado. All public participants who are interested in poetry and connecting with individuals who also enjoy reading and having conversations about poetry are welcome to join.
Some of the books that The Living Poets Society Poetry Book Club have looked at in the past include “Constellation Route” by Matthew Olzmann and “Luxury” by Philip Schultz. Book club meetings take place on the second Tuesday of every month and meets online. More information about The Living Poets Society Poetry Book Club is available by contacting the book club directly.
Speak to The Living Poets Society Poetry Book Club!
4. Books to Change Your Life Chicago Book Club
Co-organizers K and Viraj welcome any and all passionate readers in Chicago, Illinois to join Books to Change Your Life Chicago Book Club. The book club has been active since 2020 and now has over 1,000 active participants who get together on a monthly basis to read and discuss a range of different books, including poetry.
In addition to enjoying engaging and insightful discussions about poetry, book clubs members can get to learn more about books of other genres, including economics, philosophy and classic literature. Poetry that Books to Change Your Life Chicago Book Club has read in the past include Homer’s classic “The Odyssey”. Book club meetings are held online and take place on weekly on Mondays.
Connect with Books to Change Your Life Chicago Book Club.
5. Poetry Meetup
Poetry Meetup is a book club located in Chicago, Illinois, that provides adults passionate about learning more about poetry a community to join. Affiliated with the publication The Prairie Review, Poetry Meetup is a great place for anyone interested in reading, talking about, or even performing poetry.
“The Sea and The Mirro” by W.H. Auden and “St. Sebastien” by Dali are a number of poems that book club meetings at Poetry Meetup have gone over in the past. Book club meetings are usually held once a month. Specific dates and locations of book club meetings are available on Poetry Meetup’s Meetup.com web page.
Discover how else you can benefit from participating in meetings at Poetry Meetup!
6. Broken Anchor Poetry
For readers in the area of San Diego, California, Broken Anchor Poetry is a book club that welcomes readers interested in reading and writing poetry. Managed by co-organizers including Ying Wu, Andy Palasciano, Bethel Swift, and Jim Moreno, who have been with the book club since 2017, Broken Anchor Poetry has over 800 current active members and always welcomes the addition of new members who appreciate poetry and look forward to engaging in discussions with other readers.
Broken Anchor Poetry’s meetings are held both in person and online on different dates throughout the year, with updated information provided on Broken Anchor Poetry’s Meetup.com web page. Book club members can enjoy poetry events for children, open mic nights, and special readings by professional poets.
Find out more about Broken Anchor Poetry!
7. Poetry Talk
Poetry Talk is a book club that focuses on the reading, sharing and discussing of poetry. No matter what form of poetry you might be interested in, whether it is shorter poems or longer anthologies, Poetry Talk is a place where you can meet others who also share an interest in poetry.
Founder Tim Burris leads Poetry Talk out of its location in Indianapolis, Indiana. Today, the book club has over 150 active members. Book club meetings happen every two weeks on a Wednesday evening, are held online, and are always welcoming of new members.
Check out Poetry Talk!
8. Seattle Poetry Meetup Group
Serving poetry-loving men and women in Seattle, Washington, Seattle Poetry Meetup Group is a book club for readers who enjoy poetry to get together and connect with like-minded individuals Group organizer Josh Hansen leads this book club of 1000+ fans of poetry.
Book club meetings are held both in person and online, with usually one of each held every month. Participants have enjoyed poems such as “The Game” by David Paul Mesler and “Tell Me Why They Have Such Power” by Josh Hansen. Both people who enjoy writing poetry themselves and want a judgment-free space to share their creations and readers who want to talk about professionally written poetry can find something to learn and enjoy from coming to the Seattle Poetry Meetup Group.
For more information about Seattle Poetry Meetup Group, check out their Meetup.com web page.
9. Boston Poetry Meetup
Boston Poetry Meetup is a book club and poetry appreciation club situated in Brighton, Massachusetts. Led by an organizing committee including Silvia Beier, who has been with Boston Poetry Meetup since 2018, along with co-organizers Omar and Juju, Boston Poetry Meetup now has over 1,000 active participants who are either poets themselves or passionate readers of poetry.
Boston Poetry Meetup meetings happen online and in person take place on the second Friday of the month. Their usual location is at The Corner Art Room in Brighton Center and members are welcome to join Boston Poetry Meetup there in person or log in to the meetings online if that’s more convenient.
Take a look at what Boston Poetry Meetup is up to next.
10. Manchester Poetry Meetup
Locals in Manchester, New Hampshire who enjoy poetry can join Manchester Poetry Meetup at one of their upcoming monthly meetings for an evening of appreciating the written art form. Book club members are more than welcome to bring poetry that they are reading to share with the group.
Book club meetings with Manchester Poetry Meetup are usually held at D.M. Penny Press on Commercial Street in Manchester. Book club meetings will circle around not only reading the poetry together but also discussing possible interpretations and understanding of the poem and the poet’s intention.
Plan a visit to Manchester Poetry Meetup’s next book club meetings.