I absolutely loved John Kenney’s book of poems, Love Poems for Married People. There was so much truth in those poems and I laughed several times.
His follow up book of poems, Love Poems for People with Children was also funny, but the Married People book is still my absolute favorite. I have gifted his books of poems multiple times and I am sure I will be gifting this one to friends in the future.
When I saw that this book was coming out, I knew it would be a great read. He writes with such raw realism and during this crazy uncertain time, what could possibly be better than a bit of satire about anxiety?
Summary
In the spirit of his New York Times bestseller Love Poems for Married People and Love Poems for People with Children, as well as his wildly popular New Yorker pieces, Thurber Prize-winner John Kenney presents a hilarious new collection of poetry for anxious people.
With the same brilliant wit and hilarious realism that made Love Poems for Married People and Love Poems for People with Childrensuch hits, John Kenney is back with a brand new collection of poems, this time taking on one of the most common feelings in our day-and-age: anxiety. Kenney covers it all, from awkward social interactions and insomnia to nervous ticks and writing and rewriting that email.(summary from Goodreads)
Review
I have to admit, this book of poems gave Married People a run for its money as a favorite of mine. I don’t consider myself as someone who suffers from chronic anxiety but there were a number of poems in this book that I could certainly relate to. I especially liked the ones titled “In Conversation with Myself (2:49 am), 3:31 am…..etc”. I have such trouble sleeping and this little poem was one I could relate to, not to mention I laughed so hard a number of times while reading it.
There were so many real life situations that Kenney touched on that always make me uncomfortable—like tipping or making small talk. I think a number of people could relate to these different scenarios. I love how he takes such relatable issues and makes them humorous but at the same time, it’s not as though he is laughing at these issues, he is laughing with these issues and I absolutely love it!
If you are looking for a little something for a friend in your life who suffers from anxiety or simply needs a good laugh then no need to look further. John Kenney writes funny and relatable poetry for all readers and you should definitely check it out! As many of you know I am not a huge poetry person but I love reading John Kenney’s poems!
The Lit Bitch 