My First Successful Sealey Challenge

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accomplishments, Ambitions, autumn, goals, reading

After many years of trying and failing, I finally completed The Sealey Challenge, in which you attempt to read a book of poetry every day during the month of August. This is the 10th year of the challenge, and I’ve been trying for the last five, so victory is sweet!

Since life is hectic, I gave full-length collections, chapbooks, and literary journals equal consideration. I didn’t plan a reading list in advance (like the people who run the challenge suggest), but rather pulled a book off my shelf whose length reflected how busy I was that day. (I’m also trying to read through my entire bookshelf, but that’s a post for another day.) Below are all the books I read, divided by category. If these books are available for purchase, I’ve linked to them. Note that some of these were limited-edition runs that are no longer easy to find.

I had considered doing mini-reviews, but that would make for an exceedingly long post, and anyway, I didn’t necessarily come away with thoughtful commentary for some of these books. I hope that this list inspires you to check out some new poetry in the final third of the year.

Full-Length Collections

Domestic Violence by Eavan Boland

Loose Woman by Sandra Cisneros

My Wicked Wicked Ways by Sandra Cisneros

One Breath by Ben Gaa

A Wild Blue Sky by Ben Gaa

Top of My Lungs: Poems and Paintings by Natalie Goldberg

Cartography by Cindy Huyser

The First Dare by PMF Johnson

Caliche Road Poems by David E. Meischen

Meditations in an Emergency by Frank O’Hara

Chapbooks