We may now be firmly in the new year, with 2026 already losing its novelty, but that doesn't mean there's any excuse to forget the wonderful books that came out last year! To make sure they get their dues, here's a round-up of some of the wonderful Australian poetry that was released last year, that you don't want to miss.
The Rot
Evelyn Araluen
The Rot is the much anticipated follow-up to Araluen's Stella Prize winning collection, Dropbear, which was one of several exciting new releases that came out late last year, just in time for gifting season.
The new collection reinforces Araluen's status of one of Australia's most exciting emerging poets – expanding on similar themes to Dropbear, The Rot is both relatable in its depiction of the travails of existing in late-stage capitalism, and rage-inducing in its exploration of the ongoing violence of colonial Australia.
beautiful changelings
Maxine Beneba Clarke
Maxine Beneba Clarke is one of Melbourne's powerhouse poets, but if you're new to her work, beautiful changelings is a great place to start. The poems are approachable and engaging, making it great for readers new to Clarke's work, or to poetry in general.
This collection explores womanhood, motherhood and modern feminity in a way that is both relatable, painful and galvanising. And if you fall in love with her poetry after reading this, fortunately Clarke has other collections of poetry for both adults and kids to discover as well.
Two Hundred Million Musketeers
Ender Başkan
This is the debut collection from Readings' own bookseller, Ender Başkan, but we're not the only ones recommending it! It has also been shortlisted for the VPLA's Prize for Poetry (along with two other books on this list, The Rot and KONTRA).
As well as reading this incredible collection that looks at parenthood and family in ways that are both funny and moving, you can get more insight into the poems and Başkan's process on The Readings Podcast – available now on SoundCloud or your podcast app of choice!
Arsenic Flower
Dakota Feirer
This beautiful debut collection is from Dakota Feirer, the 2024 winner of the State Library of Queensland's black&write! fellowship – an initiative that started in 2011 to nurture and empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors and editors.
Arsenic Flower explores Australia's colonial history and contemporary blak masculinity, providing an intimate and powerful look at the everyday violence inflicted on First Nations Australians, and a reminder that even as we go about our everyday lives, we are living on stolen land.
KONTRA
Eunice Andrada
KONTRA is the latest collection from critically acclaimed Filipina-Australian poet Eunice Andrada, which considers the figure of the kontrabida, a villain archetype from Filipina soap operas, by reimagining them as a figure not driven by revenge, but by desire.
This book is both a reflection on culture and a powerful look at female goodness, desire and deviance, while centralising the the voices of queer women and sexual assualt survivors.
A Savage Turn
Luke Patterson
2025 was a great year for debut poetry – this is the third debut collection on this list, and another from an incredible First Nations writer.
Our bookseller and reviewer Ocean raved about A Savage Turn when it came out last year, but if you missed the hype then, now is still a great time to discover this biting, blistering collection. With surprising wit, Patterson provides his insights into modern Australian life and the traditions of his Gamilaroi people, through a kaleidoscopic lense that combines critical theory, eco-romanticism and western folklore.
Ritual
Edited by Sara M Saleh, Zainab Syed & Manal Younus
Ritual is the first of its kind – a moving collection from Muslim-Australian poets, which celebrates the diversity of experiences within their community.
Edited by Sara M Saleh, the author of the bestselling Songs for the Dead and the Living, and poets Zainab Syed and Manal Younus, this collection makes a long-overdue contribution to the global, ancient tradition of Islamic poetry.
The Nightmare Sequence
Omar Sakr, illustrated by Safdar Ahmed
This searing collection is a response to the ongoing violence in Gaza, with intense, beautiful illustrations from Safdar Ahmed. These poems both bear witness and question the act of doing so, reflecting on the role of art and the media in violent times.
Sakr and Ahmed are also very conscious of what it means to be living in a Western country like Australia – being physically removed from danger, but politically entangled in the conflict. For anyone feeling equally horrified and powerless by the events in Gaza since October 2023, this is a cathartic, rousing and important read.
Best of Australian Poems 2025
Edited by Nam Le & Jill Jones
The 2025 edition of this annual collection from Australian Poetry is a great way to discover emerging poets, or read new poems from Australian icons. Familiar names amongst the contributors include Grace Yee, Kevin Brophy, Eileen Chong, John Kinsella, Jazz Money and Hasib Hourani, but that is just a fraction of what's included.
There are different guest editors each year, and for 2025 it was Nam Le, author of The Boat and 36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem, and Jill Jones, whose career spans many works, including her most recent book, Acrobat Music. This is a collection not to be missed!
Find more great Australian poetry here. 📖
