How Many Poems in a Book

(c) August Isley 2025

While there’s no strict industry standard, most best-selling single-author poetry collections published traditionally in the U.S. tend to include anywhere from 50 to 100 poems, depending on the length and style of the work.

Here’s a breakdown based on notable examples:

• Rupi Kaur’s Milk and Honey contains around 200 short poems across 226 pages, reflecting the "Instapoetry" trend of brief, emotionally direct pieces.
• Mary Oliver’s Devotions, a curated collection spanning her career, includes over 200 poems—but that’s more of a retrospective anthology.
• Ocean Vuong’s Time Is a Mother features about 30–40 longer, more complex poems in under 130 pages.
• Ada Limón’s The Hurting Kind includes roughly 50–60 poems, balancing lyrical depth with accessibility.

So, for a traditionally published, best-selling collection that isn’t a “complete works” or anthology, 50 to 80 poems is a common sweet spot. This allows for thematic cohesion and a satisfying reader experience without overwhelming the audience.