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The ALU Poetry Shop

Happy National Poetry Month! Browse our curated collection of poetry books from independent Canadian publishers—from award winning collections to new-on-the-block poetry to poetic collaborations, we have something here for everyone.

While we encourage shopping directly from All Lit Up, we also provide a Shop Local alternative so you can purchase these books from your local indie bookseller (just click the Shop Local button found on each book page to locate your nearest indie).

Enjoy browsing our collections and get free shipping Canada-wide at checkout.

Award Winners & Nominees

Don’t take our word for it: these books have some serious literary awards cred.

“And the time between trains / is idle, becomes the material / between stanzas / a single breath / in the cooling evening.”

–D.A. Lockhart, Commonwealth


Queer Collections

LGBTQ2S+ picks for your queer collection.

“Everything temporary & edible: / tanghulu strawberries, neon signs, karaoke / bar girls in rhinestone dresses”

–Kyo Lee, i cut my tongue on a broken country

A graphic labelled "Tributaries, National Poetry Month on All Lit Up"

Tributaries

For NPM, we interview 23 poets about their work and share poems for a month-long celebration of verse, connection, and inspiration.

Poetry for the Cosmos

Poetry that asks the big questions.

“The waves foam / a final Poseidon on the riverbank / but after she swims, / we shake off the sea”

–Tawahum Bige, Stages of Tanning Words and Remembering Spells

Genre-Bending Poetry

For those who like their poetry a little hybrid, and a lot explosive.

Activists, Unite

Socially-conscious poetry for the social-justice-minded.


Resist the Patriarchy

Poetry for the feminist killjoys and enjoyers of women’s experiences.

Poetry Collabs

Teamwork really makes the dream work in these collaborative collections.

“A woman frees her home of white dust.
Now light ambers polished mahogany.”

–stephanie roberts, UNMET