The five best poetry books of all time, according to Hollie McNish

Hollie McNish has built a devoted following with her honest, funny and fiercely relatable poetry. From motherhood to womanhood, love to loss, her work -spanning collections like Nobody Told Me and Slug – celebrates everyday life in all its messy, beautiful detail. With her trademark warmth and wit, she has helped bring poetry off the page and into people’s lives.

But which poets and collections have inspired her most? Here, McNish shares the five books that have shaped her life and writing…

A Squash and a Squeeze by Julia Donaldson

“A love of poetry is ignited in so many children during their early years, and despite us often not thinking of them as poetry, or putting them on the poetry shelves in shops, a huge number of beloved children’s stories are written in verse. In the throes of growing up, this love of poetry often sizzles out, only to be brought out for weddings or funerals.

“This was one of my favourite (poetry) books to read my kid when she was little; I miss reading aloud as my eyes stumble into desperate sleep! The premise of this book is genius and without ruining it, I think about it every year when I take down my Christmas tree and my tiny, tiny living room suddenly feels gigantic. I constantly meet people who are almost afraid of poetry, as if some kind of gilded precious gem. If I need to re-ignite my love, I go back to childhood, where it all began.

“Hint: Read this book, whether you’re a kid or not.”

Macmillan Children’s, £7.99

Poetry is Not a Luxury: Poetry Anthology

“I always recommend poetry anthologies to people who are unsure of where to start in poetry or who want to rediscover it, because it’s much easier to find something that suits; like a selection box of chocolates, or a playlist, but poetry. This is my current favourite anthology, stuffed full of so many different voices and styles of writing.

“The anthology is based on a brilliant Instagram account @poetryisnotaluxury which shares a new poem each week. It keeps me discovering new voices. I love the way this collection is split into chapters relating to the four seasons.

“Hint: Open a random page each morning and read a poem before you pick up your phone.”

Gallery UK, £20

Manorism by Yomi Sode

“I’ve chosen this book, not for ease of reading, but for its brilliance. Some poetry I love for the simplicity with which it butters our bread thick with joy and laughter but I also love the challenge that poetry can bring. I love Wilfred Owen, especially the poem “Dulce et Decorum Est” (although I hated it when studying it at school!) and I love this collection by Yomi for similar reasons; the beautiful and beguiling depth and detail of the language, imagery and metaphors combined with the way it allows me access into someone else’s lived experience, an experience I cannot fathom until I inhale books such as this one.

“The collection examines the lives of Black British men and boys through an unexpected lens of the violence of artists such as Caravaggio in 17th-century Rome and modern-day commentary by the likes of David Starkey and Piers Morgan.

“Hint: Read each poem twice. Get your teeth into it, it’s worth it.”

Penguin, £10.99

Swell by Maria Ferguson

“I don’t often read poetry books cover to cover but I did with this book. It is a smart, expertly crafted, at times heartbreaking, heart-warming and drily hilarious collection of poetry on pregnancy and new motherhood. And please, if you are about to give it a miss because you’re not a new mother or a mother at all, stop right there. We do that a lot in literature, especially literature on certain topics by certain people.

“I love poetry written by soldiers in the first world war, despite never having been a young man, or a soldier or having ever lived in the era they lived. I loved the book The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, despite never having found a magical entrance to another world. Anyway, back to birth.

“I think we dismiss motherhood a lot in the art world, despite it being one of the most fantastical, harrowing and politicised life experiences; this book is an incredible exploration of all of this.

“Hint: Take an evening after dark and read it cover to cover.”

Penguin, £10.99

Oyster by Michael Pedersen

“This book is one of the closest to my heart. I chose it for many reasons. It was one of the last books written by my partner before the loss of his best friend, a gorgeous singer called Scott Hutchinson, who illustrated many of the poems.

“It showcases something else I love about poetry; the joy of playing with language and form. Michael is someone who is fascinated by, I might even say obsessed with learning the absolutely huge spectrum of words and possible descriptions offered by the English language. I think his poems show the fun of this.

“I might be laughed at for saying it but I also miss books with pictures in, and this book combines poems and drawings in a wonderful way; the two art forms inspired by one another, sitting side by side, just as I remember the two friends having done many times.

“Hint: Tell people you love them. Send them a poem.”

Polygon, £12.99

‘Virgin’ by Hollie McNish (Fleet, £14.99) is out now