I Hope You Remember: Poems on Loving, Longing, and Living

by Josie Balka

Description

"'I've never seen anyone at a public pool with a memorable enough body, good or bad, that I think about it ever again.' If this line sounds familiar, it's because you've heard it in the background of thousands of videos on social media--a humbling reminder from poet and radio personality Josie Balka that what's important in our lives now isn't necessarily what's important to us in the long run. I Hope You Remember, Josie's first book of poetry, includes this poem and over eighty others, some show more previously published and others never shared before. Every page in this collection hits home, rhapsodizing on universal experiences like jealousy, family relationships, complex body image, falling in and out of love (with others and yourself), and the everchanging lens of nostalgia. With sparse, clear prose, Josie's poetry looks to bring forth deep feelings like grief, envy, apathy, joy, and, most importantly, hope." -- show less

Recommendations

Dead Girl Cameo: A Love Song in Poems by m. mick powell

Dead Girl Cameo: A Love Song in Poems

m. mick powell

Loves of Our Lives: Poems for Hopeful Hearts by Josie Balka

Loves of Our Lives: Poems for Hopeful Hearts

Josie Balka

A Bright and Borrowed Light: Poems by Courtney Kampa

A Bright and Borrowed Light: Poems

Courtney Kampa

It's You Every Time by Charlene Thomas

It's You Every Time

Charlene Thomas

The Sister's Curse by Nicola Solvinic

The Sister's Curse

Nicola Solvinic

Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson

Locomotion

Jacqueline Woodson

This Kind of Trouble by Tochi Eze

This Kind of Trouble

Tochi Eze

Where the Wildflowers Grow: A Novel by Terah Shelton Harris

Where the Wildflowers Grow: A Novel

Terah Shelton Harris

Under the Neon Lights by Arriel Vinson

Under the Neon Lights

Arriel Vinson

Lover Girl by Raegan Fordemwalt

Lover Girl

Raegan Fordemwalt

A Little Daylight Left: Poems by Sarah Kay

A Little Daylight Left: Poems

Sarah Kay

Guided: The Secret Path to an Illuminated Life by Laura Lynne Jackson

Guided: The Secret Path to an Illuminated Life

Laura Lynne Jackson

The Waterbearers: My Mother, My Grandmother, and the Women Who Carried Me by Sasha Bonet

The Waterbearers: My Mother, My Grandmother, and the Women Who Carried Me

Sasha Bonet

Rules For Fake Girlfriends by Raegan Revord

Rules For Fake Girlfriends

Raegan Revord

All the Way Around the Sun by XiXi Tian

All the Way Around the Sun

XiXi Tian

The Unwritten Rules of Magic by Ross Harper

The Unwritten Rules of Magic

Ross Harper

The Secret of Orange Blossom Cake by Rachel Linden

The Secret of Orange Blossom Cake

Rachel Linden

Climate by Whitney Hanson

Climate

Whitney Hanson

How to Love Better: The Path to Deeper Connection Through Growth, Kindness, and Compassion by yung pueblo

How to Love Better: The Path to Deeper Connection Through Growth, Kindness, and Compassion

yung pueblo

The Story of CO2 Is the Story of Everything: How Carbon Dioxide Made Our World by Peter Brannen

The Story of CO2 Is the Story of Everything: How Carbon Dioxide Made Our World

Peter Brannen

Without: Poems by Donald Hall

Without: Poems

Donald Hall

Death and Dinuguan by Mia P. Manansala

Death and Dinuguan

Mia P. Manansala

The Tortoise's Tale by Kendra Coulter

Lady Like by Mackenzi Lee

Lady Like

Mackenzi Lee

Watching Evil Dead: Unearthing the Radiant Artist Within by Josh Malerman

Watching Evil Dead: Unearthing the Radiant Artist Within

Josh Malerman

The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

The Sky Is Everywhere

Jandy Nelson

Pomona Afton Can Totally Catch a Killer: A Novel by Bellamy Rose

Pomona Afton Can Totally Catch a Killer: A Novel

Bellamy Rose

The Knowing by Tanya Talaga

The Knowing

Tanya Talaga

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

The Seven Year Slip

Ashley Poston

Atomic Hearts by Megan Cummins

Atomic Hearts

Megan Cummins

A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan

A Forbidden Alchemy

Stacey McEwan

Hazel Says No: A Novel by Jessica Berger Gross

Hazel Says No: A Novel

Jessica Berger Gross

Where the Sidewalk Ends: Poems and Drawings by Shel Silverstein

Where the Sidewalk Ends: Poems and Drawings

Shel Silverstein

I Hope This Reaches Her in Time Revised Edition by R. H. Sin

I Hope This Reaches Her in Time Revised Edition

R. H. Sin

Pictures of Him by Clare Empson

Pictures of Him

Clare Empson

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur

Milk and Honey

Rupi Kaur

Water, Water: Poems by Billy Collins

Water, Water: Poems

Billy Collins

Happy Ending by Chloe Liese

Happy Ending

Chloe Liese

The New Book: A Powerful Collection from Nikki Giovanni, America's Celebrated Poet and Indispensable Radical Orator by Nikki Giovanni

The New Book: A Powerful Collection from Nikki Giovanni, America's Celebrated Poet and Indispensable Radical Orator

Nikki Giovanni

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes: A Mystery by Sandra Jackson-Opoku

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes: A Mystery

Sandra Jackson-Opoku

What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones

What My Mother Doesn't Know

Sonya Sones

The Lake Escape by Jamie Day

The Lake Escape

Jamie Day

Only Between Us by Ellie K. Wilde

Only Between Us

Ellie K. Wilde

Here for a Good Time by Pyae Moe Thet War

Here for a Good Time

Pyae Moe Thet War

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

If I Stay

Gayle Forman

Miracle Children: Race, Education, and a True Story of False Promises by Katie Benner

Miracle Children: Race, Education, and a True Story of False Promises

Katie Benner

Taylor's Version: The Poetic and Musical Genius of Taylor Swift by Stephanie Burt

Taylor's Version: The Poetic and Musical Genius of Taylor Swift

Stephanie Burt

A Night without Armor: Poems by Jewel

A Night without Armor: Poems

Jewel

Draw Your Adventures: Making Art to Celebrate Everyday Experiences and Travels Near and Far by Samantha Dion Baker

Draw Your Adventures: Making Art to Celebrate Everyday Experiences and Travels Near and Far

Samantha Dion Baker

Complete Recommendations

Member Reviews

Featured Recent Thumbs

All Ratings
2
2

1 review

srkromer 177 reviews

Josie Balka has such a beautiful way of saying our inner thoughts and feelings. Her poems invoke a raw, emotional response that just speaks to the soul. This collection of poems focuses on loving, longing, and living. My favorite section was the living poems because so many of them resonated with me, especially those on body image. They made me stop and think, “wow, that’s so true, I’ve never thought of it that way before”. I Hope You Remember would make a great gift for friends and family.

Apr 30, 2026

Ratings

ceecee83 29 reviews

Jul 25, 2025

Chr0n1cally1llG1rl13 3 reviews