The Book of Joy: 100 Poems for Your Heart
A collection centered on finding joy in small moments.
L.L. Barkat, a poet whose work has appeared at HuffPost, Best American Poetry, My French Life, and on NPR and the BBC, has published The Book of Joy: 100 Poems for Your Heart, a collection written over one year and centered on finding joy in small moments.
poet L.L. Barkat
“I was going through a very difficult time and needed a way through it,” says L.L. Barkat. “I decided to stay open to joy wherever I found it, no matter how small, and to write 100 poems along the way.”
The book is dedicated to the poet’s mother, a beloved artist and craftsperson who died suddenly, just four months into the year of writing. The cover features a tiny hand-painted bird from her mother’s craft supplies that was possibly intended for the palm of one of her mom’s many handmade angels. One night while preparing her mother’s home for sale, Barkat found the tiny bird on the floor, in danger of being vacuumed away.
The Book of Joy is Barkat’s fourth collection of poetry.
About the Poet
L.L. Barkat is also the author of Rumors of Water: Thoughts on Creativity & Writing (twice named a Best Book of 2011); Beyond the Glass: Poems; and the collection Love, Etc. Her poems have appeared at Every Day Poems, Best American Poetry, VQR, NPR, My French Life, and the BBC. She can be found at llbarkat.com
From the Collection
#3
Contingencies
Stand in
the sun
while
sipping
lemon balm
tea.
Stand in
the grass,
barefoot,
after the
rain.
Write poems
about
joy.
— L.L. Barkat
- New Release! The Book of Joy: 100 Poems for Your Heart - October 22, 2026
- Poetry Club Tea Date ✨ Magician - October 12, 2026
- Poetry Club Tea Date ✨ Daily Practices - September 21, 2026
Leave a Reply