I’ve been a very lucky girl this month and have been presented with free copies of poetry collections. This is my third for August and it just keeps getting better. I’m never very good at remembering to read poetry but I do have a deep-seated love for all things poetic. Admittedly, most of my favourite poets are long dead but that shouldn’t be a bad thing. Poetry has evolved over the last few years but that doesn’t mean we have to turn our backs on tradition. I haven’t had the best relationship with contemporary poetry but there are still poets out there who are doing excited things. All I need to do is find them and the only way that I’m going to do that is by reading more. It won’t always work out well but nothing in life will ever be perfect.

Of all the literary forms, poetry is the one that people so often find useful as an outlet for their innermost thoughts. Maybe there is something about turning your inner most thoughts, desires, fears, and pain into something beautiful and free that makes them easier to process? In his second poetry collection, Dominic J. Anton takes us through a physical journey from Miami to Europe and, finally, to New York. It is also an emotional discovery as he comes to terms with the highs and lows that life has to offer.

The poems in Intuition deal with topics that many people will be able to relate to and find comfort in. It follows a journey of inner growth and understanding. You will recognise the feelings of self-doubt and feel hope from the final message of self-discovery. This is a collection that confronts those feelings that so many young people feel these days. Anyone who has felt as though they are wasting their life or wondering what they should be doing will find comfort within these pages. Especially during a year when life is getting even more unpredictable.

One of the things that I really enjoyed about this collection was that it had a traditional feel at the same time as feeling contemporary and original. It doesn’t feel like every other poetry book that you see these days. This stands out by embracing both the present and the past. The poems have a great rhythm and flow to them. Something that, to me at least, sets them apart from the likes of Rupi Kaur and Amanda Lovelace. Certain contemporary poems are more style over substance but these works feel alive and free.

This is the kind of collection that demands multiple readings and can be returned to time and again. It feels unlike anything else around at the moment. It follows a narrative but also has the feel of a stream of consciousness. It flows from one poem to the other and moves between different tones and emotions effortlessly. It catches you off-guard and pulls you in. You will experience a wide range of emotions as you make your way through but it is all held together by a steady hand. The writing is beautiful and powerful. The use of different forms adds another element and allows Anton to delve deeper into heavier topics.

Intuition is a poetry collection that is trying to take risks but is also very readable. It doesn’t want to blend in and aims to stand out. Yet, it understands that it needs to be enjoyed and consumed. The poems are meant to help people and offer hope. This is a collection that uses language to try and make the world that little bit clearer and, frankly, we all need a bit more clarity these days.