“We want to build a bookstore with poetry scattered in every corner.”
We entered the shop painted white and Klein blue down Shaoxing Road. The inside was lit with soft yellow-orange light. “Poetry is our last shelter,” I read from the wall.
This is the story of a community of poetry lovers.
POEMSFORYOU Bookstore. No. 19 Shaoxing Rd
POEMSFORYOU Bookstore
Poetry collections fill the bookstore’s entire first floor. The books are arranged with a curious layout–not chronological, not alphabetical by author name, but thematic. In different corners of the floor lie the sections “A Guide to the Leisurely Life”, “Watch the Clouds by Your Side,” “Nightfall” and “Don’t Rush to Finish Reading.”
“Our reason for sharing poetry is to share the experience of feeling and resonating with the words and emotions within poetry. It is far less about analyzing the technical aspects of syntax or diction and much more about spending time with the poem itself and feeling it. Dividing sections by theme helps the reader choose which poem fits their state of mind. This way the bookstore is somewhere they can feel safe and at ease.”
First floor
The second floor houses an array of other works of literature and art. “Poetry is inseparable from literature,” the bookstore manager told us. “And literature shares a lot with art.”
The bookstore is filled to every corner with lines from poems. Poetry is sprinkled on the bookshelves, the walls, the staircases, and everywhere in between.
“We want to build a bookstore with poetry scattered in every corner.”
Bookstore corner with a line from Died at Dawn
Ten Years
PoemsForYou originated in 2014 when a poem- and calligraphy-enthusiast began posting handwritten poetry on the internet. As inspiration threatened to run dry, he invited a small team that shared his love for poetry. They were artists working in tandem through their poetic craft.
The project at this point was far from a business idea. Yet after subscriber booms on the Weixin (Wechat) platform in 2015, the team began to consider taking PoemsForYou further. This would mean a multifold increase in commitment; they took the risk.
In the following years, PoemsForYou gained a community of ardent supporters via both the Weixin and Weibo platforms. It was also at this time that they handed over the pen to their readers and followers through their submission portal. PoemsForYou has currently collected over a thousand original poetry submissions. Some of these poems have been featured in their three self-published poetry collections.
Merchandise in the bookstore
Towards the end of 2021, the decline of physical bookstores after the COVID-19 pandemic caught PoemsForYou’s attention. It had always been a dream of this team of poetry lovers to start a bookstore.
“Poetry lives in words and books. Almost all poetry zealots have the dream of building a bookstore.”
The dream consolidated into a plan in early 2022, and the planned opening date was set for March 14, 2022, on PoemsForYou’s eighth anniversary. Unfortunately, Shanghai’s four-month lockdown became a stumbling block. In August 2022, however, the PoemsForYou bookstore successfully opened on Shaoxing Road.
“The location choice was not out of commercial considerations… this is a small street and isn’t frequented by pedestrians. We chose it for the atmosphere–leisurely, tranquil, and poetic.”
Reading corner
A Poetic Lifestyle
I asked the manager about the white and Klein blue design, and she told me it was the preference of one of PoemsForYou’s editors.
“Bright colors are too loud. Dark colors are a bit too dispiriting. Klein blue feels exactly right. It’s indescribable. Like poetry. It feels like the color of poetry.”
Reading corner
PoemsForYou is celebrating its tenth anniversary this March, but its story is still in continuous tense. Its founders and collaborators are excited to introduce new poetry collections, picture books, and merchandise for poetry lovers across China.
“The best thing about this community is the opportunity it provides to connect people who are genuinely enthusiastic about poetry. This is always a safe space to exchange feelings about poetry and about life; it is a place of kindness and sincerity. I am constantly reminded of how blessed we are to be in this community.”
Interactive scroll on ground floor