5 Poetry Collections for Virgo Season 2023
Virgos are known for being analytical, practical, and hardworking, but they can also struggle with anxiety and over-cautiousness. In fact, some of the biggest lessons Virgos face in their lives—like embracing imperfection and relinquishing control—are themes that will be felt across the zodiac this August and September. If astrologers’ predictions are any indication, you might see carefully constructed plans fall apart, navigate disappointments, and make mistakes that you’ll be asked to respond to with self-compassion and grace.
This may sound overwhelming—and yes, before you ask, Mercury will be in retrograde. But all of the lessons will be worth it, with each zodiac sign expected to come out of Virgo season with more capacity for radical self-love, embracing new beginnings and a more flexible mindset. Add these five books to your Virgo season TBR shelf.
1. The Best American Poetry 2023 edited by Elaine Equi and David Lehman
Virgo season could easily be summed up as serving major back-to-school vibes. Not only does it mark the changing of seasons, but it’s also about learning new things, getting organized, and developing routines. Therefore, it seems appropriate to kick off Virgo season with a title that’d be on a college syllabus and that’s worthy of being slipped into your backpack. The Best American Poetry 2023 is a broad, can’t-miss anthology that provides an overview of where the genre’s been and where it’s going—perfect for scholars of the art form.
2. A Poetry Handbook by Mary Oliver
In fitting with the back-to-school vibes, Virgo season is an opportunity to give yourself homework. Unlike in school, you’re in charge of planning out your assignments and can ensure they custom-fit your interests and passions. Beloved poet Mary Oliver packs useful exercises and insightful wisdom in A Poetry Handbook. By writing poetry based on its tips, you can learn one of the most valuable lessons of Virgo season: Discipline and practice pay off.
3. The Surrender Theory by Caitlin Conlon
There are so many reasons to celebrate Virgos and their emblematic season. Their work ethic can propel them to wherever they want to go, while their Earth sign rootedness can keep them grounded. However, Virgos are also one of the signs most likely to suffer from perfectionism and imposter syndrome. Caitlin Conlon confronts this struggle in her aptly titled The Surrender Theory, which delves into the journey of growth and self-forgiveness. Virgo season invites us—and in some cases, will force us—to surrender our own plans to the universe, making The Surrender Theory a perfect guiding text.
4. Rhyme’s Rooms: The Architecture of Poetry by Brad Leithauser
Many horoscopes for Virgo season 2023 emphasize metaphors of building a house and facing its demolition. In other words, it’s all about big things coming apart and together—and this will often manifest in our daily settings and realities. Rhyme’s Rooms: The Architecture of Poetry also uses this metaphor as a jumping-off point, exploring the syntax, line, meter, and other facets of poetry as its building blocks. Both Virgo season and Rhyme’s Rooms go back to the basics and compel us to appreciate the foundations.
5. Clarity & Connection by Yung Pueblo
While some astrological seasons focus on our relationships with others, some of the main teachings of Virgo season implore us to examine our relationship with ourselves. Clarity & Connection, a best-selling release from beloved poet Yung Pueblo, is all about this pivotal, indispensable relationship. Implement its poems into your daily routine or your meditation practice.
Happy Virgo season!
