April is National Poetry Month, a month set aside to celebrate poetry and its vital place in our society. Launched by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, this month-long celebration has attracted millions of readers, students, teachers, librarians, booksellers, and poets.

Each Friday of April, I will share a favorite poetry collection.

Today’s pick is Healing is a Gift: Poems for Those Who Need to Grow by Alexandra Vasiliu, a collection described as “a valuable resource for anyone seeking personal growth, self-improvement, and inner peace.”

From the very first lines, it’s evident that Ms. Vasiliu writes with raw honesty and heartfelt intention. Her collection, composed in free verse, reads like a quiet conversation with the soul. There is a simplicity in her language that belies the emotional depth beneath. At times, it felt like I was reading a distilled self-help guide wrapped in poetic form.

The titles, among them, “No Permission Needed,” “Your Golden Trophy,” “Such Bad Manners,” and “No Pills,” suggest a stripping away of pretense and a return to fundamentals. These poems don’t seek to impress. Instead, they challenge the reader to confront and reconsider long-held beliefs about pain, recovery, and self-worth.

This slim volume can easily be read in a single sitting, but its impact lingers. I found myself pausing often, underlining lines that struck a chord, and marking pages to return to later. It’s a book you’ll want to keep within reach—not just for comfort but as a reminder of how powerful honesty can be.

Here’s one of my favorite poems:

Hope

When everything around you
is falling apart,
remind yourself
that Hope is a magical place
where all implausible dreams
stop being impossible,
where all good powers
belong naturally to you,
where love,
self-confidence,
and peace
call your name out loud.

When everything around you
is falling apart,
remind yourself
that you can find refuge
in Hope,
in that magical,
invisible place
where you can go without a car
or a passport.

When everything around you
is falling apart,
remind yourself
that for moving on,
all you need is Hope.

And Hope is the name of a pure heart.