Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
Bestiary
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
30 posts | 20 read | 58 to read
Donika Kelly's fierce debut collection, winner of the 2015 Cave Canem Poetry Prize I thought myself lion and serpent. Thought myself body enough for two, for we. Found comfort in never being lonely. What burst from my back, from my bones, what lived along the ridge from crown to crown, from mane to forked tongue beneath the skin. What clamor we made in the birthing. What hiss and rumble at the splitting, at the horns and beard, at the glottal bleat. What bridges our back. What strong neck, what bright eye. What menagerie are we. What we've made of ourselves. --from "Love Poem: Chimera" Across this remarkable first book are encounters with animals, legendary beasts, and mythological monsters--half human and half something else. Donika Kelly's Bestiary is a catalogue of creatures--from the whale and ostrich to the pegasus and chimera to the centaur and griffin. Among them too are poems of love, self-discovery, and travel, from "Out West" to "Back East." Lurking in the middle of this powerful and multifaceted collection is a wrenching sequence that wonders just who or what is the real monster inside this life of survival and reflection. Selected and with an introduction by the National Book Award winner Nikky Finney, Bestiary questions what makes us human, what makes us whole.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
blurb
Chrissyreadit
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image

Some options- any sound good? Also I‘m ordering it because the poetry books I have are either very long or anthologies-

See All 11 Comments
IndoorDame Fabulous choices. I‘m okay with whatever you pick. I‘ve read Call Us What We Carry. It‘s fabulous! So I‘m up for rereading it if that‘s what the group wants, but I‘d vote for No Matter The Wreckage, I‘m really intrigued by the description of that one. 1y
TheBookHippie @IndoorDame I read that too! I‘m good with any of these! 1y
Pigpen_Reads No Matter The Wreckage sounds good, but I'm okay with any. 1y
Chrissyreadit No Matter The Wreckage it is. 1y
Chrissyreadit @TheBookHippie if we ever do another poetry swap these other books are all going on my wish list! 1y
TheBookHippie @Chrissyreadit I think yes -April again! 1y
49 likes11 comments
review
vlwelser
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image
Pickpick

This is beautiful. I absolutely devoured it.

47 likes1 stack add
blurb
HufflepuffGirl90
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image

I was on vacation last week, but just picked this up from my mailbox! Can‘t wait to see what everyone thought of this one #poetry #LMPBC

LazyDays Had a wonderful round with you ladies! Maybe we can do another one sometime. I loved everyone's books 💗 @TheBookKeepers @mklong @HufflepuffGirl90 😊 4y
mklong I had fun with you ladies too! @Bookishthoughts is it okay if I keep your book for another week? I just finished a condo reno that took up all of my reading time the past couple of weeks. 4y
LazyDays @mklong take all the time you need, enjoy! 4y
51 likes4 comments
blurb
TheBookKeepers
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image

Just dropped these in the mailbox! Heading home to each of you!! #lmpbc
@kellyann28 @HufflepuffGirl90

kellyann28 ❤❤ 4y
HufflepuffGirl90 Yay!! Can‘t wait to see what you all thought of it! 4y
77 likes2 comments
review
TheBookKeepers
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image
Pickpick

Finished!! Loved doing this round with you ladies! I will mail this out soon! #lmpbc @HufflepuffGirl90 @Bookishthoughts @mklong

Also I had to take advantage of the oddly circular cat snuggle session last night for this photo op 😂

mklong It has been so much fun! 4y
LazyDays It's been amazing!💗💗 4y
NeedsMoreBooks 😻😻😻 4y
86 likes3 comments
review
mklong
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image
Pickpick

@HufflepuffGirl90 Thank you so much for choosing this one! I found it surprising and heartbreaking but also uplifting and beautiful.

It will be on its way to @Bookishthoughts tomorrow #LMPBC

LazyDays Can't wait! 4y
44 likes1 comment
blurb
HufflepuffGirl90
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image

Sending this lovely out to you Friday, @mklong

So sorry for the lateness of me sending it out!
(Plus I just missed the mailman today, grr)

#LMPBC #round7 #PoetryRocks

mklong Sounds great, thanks! And no worries, you aren‘t late at all 😊 4y
mklong It‘s here! The magnets are so cute, what a sweet idea. I‘m a big Broadway musical fan, so of course I chose Sondheim. Thank you!! 4y
HufflepuffGirl90 @mklong yay!! I‘m so glad it made it safely! 4y
37 likes3 comments
blurb
HufflepuffGirl90
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image

Hey #LMPBC friends!! Here are my contenders for our poetry sessions. @Bookishthoughts @mklong @TheBookKeepers whatcha think?

TheBookKeepers I haven‘t read any of these & they all look great! The top two capture my most interest! 4y
mklong I love Carol Ann Duffy, but I‘m also intrigued by Bestiary too. 4y
See All 7 Comments
TheBookKeepers Nice!!! 4y
LazyDays Just got the notification for this nit sure why Sorry I didn't respond. Beastiary looks good! 4y
mklong Awesome! It‘s embarrassing how excited I am about this! 4y
LazyDays @mklong no its not! I am extremely excited to read everyones picks! We have a great line up here! 4y
37 likes7 comments
quote
GondorGirl
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image

When I decided to read at least one volume of poetry a month for #poetrychallenge2019 I used the Book Outlet boxing day sale to pick up a bunch of random poetry books, based only on the title and cover. This was one I picked for the cover, and when I saw it on Maggie Stiefvater's shelfie the other day I knew I found my February pick.

monalyisha Yes! Never read this but: In Maggie We Trust. 🙏🏻 5y
GondorGirl @monalyisha Exactly! If she suggests something toy know it's going to be good... and probably a little strange. 😁 5y
48 likes2 comments
blurb
emtobiasz
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image

Starting this next. It‘s been on my TBR since Roxane Gay gave it a glowing review on Goodreads 💕#poetry

48 likes1 stack add
review
readordierachel
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image
Pickpick

I loved everything about this. Donika Kelly knows her craft. These poems are so skillful and beautiful and chimerical. There are poems about nature, about her own (often painful) childhood, and about mythological beings, and somehow it all works perfectly together. Amazing.

TW for sexual abuse

batsy Lovely review! And that cover 😍 6y
readordierachel @batsy Isn't it striking! 6y
RohitSawant Sounds terrific! Great review! 6y
See All 6 Comments
readordierachel @rohit-sawant Thanks! 🤗 6y
merelybookish I have this but have only dipped into it. Thanks for remind me to return to it! 🙂 6y
readordierachel @merelybookish Happy to help 😊 6y
86 likes4 stack adds6 comments
blurb
tamaria
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image

Avoiding all this work I‘ve got like...

#booksandbeer

review
slategreyskies
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image
Pickpick

This book was intense and raw, brightly colored and earthy. I loved it, even as parts of it were painful or unsettling. Strong contemporary poetry. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#LitsyPartyOfOne

Natasha.C.Barnes Sounds amazing. I think I may have to add it to my list for #poetrychallenge2018...my list is overflowing! 😫 6y
73 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
slategreyskies
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image

Tonight‘s bit of poems. #LitsyPartyOfOne

blurb
bookloo
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image

My #readingstats for #October!

🎃 Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin
🎃 Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
🎃 Autumn by Ali Smith
🎃 The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur
🎃 Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
🎃 Bestiary by Donika Kelly

Best: Autumn!
Worst: Fever Dream
#BestofOctober| #OctoberStats| #SpookyOctober

suvata I‘ve got Autumn but haven‘t started it yet. I‘m glad to see you liked it. 6y
bookloo @suvata One of my faves all year! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 💛 6y
Redheadrambles Yeah for Autumn 🍂 I love that book as well 6y
bookloo @Redheadrambles Excited for Winter? ☺️ 6y
DebinHawaii Great job! 📚👍 6y
41 likes5 comments
blurb
BookishFeminist
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image

Fall mood. Reading excellent Graywolf Press poetry outside in the gorgeous fall weather. Just picked this up from the library and can't wait to dig in. I've heard amazing things about it! 🍂🍂

112 likes8 stack adds
review
8leagueboot
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image
Pickpick

This title won the Cave Canem Poetry Prize and the name of its accolade is a solid hint at the nature of the work. Kelly oscillates between rhapsody and devastation in the space of a line, pulling you in with her beautiful fragments and then showing you the truth just when you've been lulled into a false understanding of the nature of the work. Prepare for wonders and monsters alike before jumping in, #triggerwarning abuse .

23 likes2 stack adds
blurb
JessFerg
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image

I fully admit to judging books by their covers. Love this one.

1 stack add
review
hwheaties
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image
Pickpick

I am ashamed I waited so long to read this. This collection of poems is a discovery, a paean, a celebration, a beautiful house of sand and fog and so many other things too real to name. I've marked so many pages I want to go back to.

So. Good.

8leagueboot I loved that piece 7y
64 likes5 stack adds1 comment
blurb
hwheaties
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
This post contains spoilers
show me
post image

This book might kill me it is so good. Seriously.

blurb
hwheaties
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image

Also feeding my poet soul with Donika Kelly's BESTIARY and oh man. @Graywolfpress

54 likes1 stack add
blurb
CarolynOliver
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image

Definitely one of the best debuts of 2016: Donika Kelly's Bestiary. Just got a review in the NYT too! #feistyfeb

valeriegeary This is a fantastic picture! Very fitting! 👏 7y
35 likes1 comment
blurb
Linsy
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image

The holidays thrust me into a bit of a book slump, and completely distracted be from Litsy, but there's nothing like #bookmail to get me back on track. I can't wait to delve into these. I've missed you, littens!

Libby1 And you'll be reading 2 books by someone named Kelly! 🙂 7y
Linsy @Libby1 Lol, that's awesome! I hadn't noticed that. 😂 It is the name of one of my best friends, @wordsworthsprite, so I'm a bit partial to it. 7y
Libby1 Hi, @wordsworthsprite ! I just clicked to follow you 😊 (edited) 7y
Megabooks Welcome back! 👋🏻 7y
Linsy Thanks, @Ebooksandcooks! It's good to be back. 💕 7y
81 likes2 stack adds5 comments
blurb
hwheaties
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image

Plot twist. This evening, we'll be starting with Wintersong, and supplementing with this slim volume of poetry by Donika Kelly. Gotta love how that happens.

38 likes3 stack adds
review
CarolynOliver
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image
Pickpick

Thank you for all the birthday love yesterday, Littens! 💕 Today I'm thrilled to recommend this stellar collection of poems about love, trauma, and of course, animals. #poetry #diversebooks #wndb

rachelm Love the pic! 7y
38 likes2 stack adds1 comment
blurb
CarolynOliver
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image

So excited to read Donika Kelly's BESTIARY, winner of the Cave Canem Prize. Thanks to @graywolfpress for sending it! #poetry

Littens, are any of you also poetry readers? How do you find other verse enthusiasts on @Litsy ?

LectricSheep I love poetry-- it's what I got my MFA in. I don't see too much of it on Litsy, especially contemporary stuff. Maybe we need a hashtag! :) 7y
CarolynOliver @LectricSheep I was thinking that too! I did a quick search and there are only 180 posts tagged #poetry (plus a smattering of related tags). #litsypoetry ? #shareapoem ? #readpoetry ? Something else? 7y
Nafiza There's also A Bestiary by Lily Hoang that I have been lusting after for a while. Are you familiar with it? 7y
CarolynOliver @Nafiza I'm not, but I'll keep an eye out for it! 7y
27 likes1 stack add4 comments
blurb
hwheaties
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image

BOOK MAIL HAPPY DANCE!!!

Thank you, @Graywolfpress I cannot wait to read!!

review
szainabwilliams
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image
Pickpick

My #Recommendsday pick! I haven't read poetry in probably a decade, but Bestiary sent me on a poetry quest. Gorgeous imagery (nature fans rejoice) and heartbreak. This collection is as deep as it is magical.

MrBook Nice review and pic! 😎👍🏻 8y
19 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
Amanda
Bestiary: Poems | Donika Kelly
post image
Pickpick

These poems are gut-punches, heart-shredders, eaters of souls.

hwheaties Want. Is that Graywolf? 8y
WordWaller OMG GRAYWOLF 💖💖💖 8y
Amanda @hwheaties Yes! They are bae. 8y
suzannewhtny When is this coming out?? 8y
Amanda @suzannewhtny November 8y
57 likes14 stack adds5 comments