A new poetry anthology spearheaded by a bilingual Canadian poet has achieved top rankings in a major retailer’s international categories. Toronto Spark contributing writer Cathy Xinman is the editor-in-chief of The Best Poems of the Year by Chinese Poets & Writers of the World 2025. After publication of the Chinese edition on February 10, it shot up to the #1 Top New Release in Asian Poetry on Amazon.
“Such recognition highlights the increasing visibility of Asian literary voices within the global poetry landscape,” Xinman said. “Readers today are seeking works that broaden their understanding of culture, identity, and artistic expression beyond familiar literary traditions.”
In addition, The Best Poems of the Year by Chinese Poets & Writers of the World 2025 registered as the Best-Selling New Release and Most Popular Item in Amazon’s Diversity & Multicultural Poetry category.
“This distinction reflects the importance of literature that brings together writers from varied backgrounds and experiences,” Xinman noted. “In an era when readers are eager to explore perspectives from different cultures, such collections offer a meaningful platform for dialogue.”
The anthology is available in paperback and on Kindle.
Last year, the Toronto Spark reported that Xinman was seeking contributions to the anthology from Chinese writers from around the world. For this anthology, poets could contribute works in either language because her goal was to amplify diverse Chinese voices from many countries.
In the end, she and executive editor Li Deng published works by poets in Asia, Australia, Europe, and the Americas.
“Rather than presenting a single viewpoint, the anthology creates a space where multiple voices coexist—revealing the richness and complexity of contemporary poetic expression,” Xinman stated.
Poetry offers quiet form of cultural exchange
To Xinman, digital platforms offer poets an opportunity to go beyond small literary circles and reach global audiences. Moreover, she believes that this anthology creates a bridge between cultures.
Xinman writes poetry in English and Chinese,
“Poetry has always been one of the most universal forms of artistic expression,” Xinman maintained. “Even when written in different languages, its themes—human emotion, memory, beauty, uncertainty, and hope—remain widely shared.
“As readers from different backgrounds encounter these poems, they are not only discovering new literary voices but also engaging in a quiet form of cultural exchange,” she continued. “In this way, the anthology stands as a reminder that literature can connect people across borders, offering a space where diverse experiences meet and where poetry becomes a common language of understanding.”
Not long after publication of Chinese Poets & Writers of the World 2025, Xinman released a new book of her documentary poetry, essays, and reflections on writing. Entitled Solitude of All Things, the Chinese edition became available on Kindle on March 10.
Cathy Xinman writes poetry in English and Chinese. Find her English-language collection, Where You Love Yourself, on Amazon. You can also hear her poetry on her TikTok page. The Toronto Spark is on Bluesky @torontospark.bsky.social.
