I am currently deciding whether to include images in my poetry book at all.
My core tension is simple: do images confuse the reader and dilute the poems, or do they offer necessary breathing room for the text.
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Should a Poetry Book Have Images?
At the moment, the book includes abstract imagery created with AI to support a dystopian fantasy atmosphere.
It is important to me to be explicit that these are AI-generated visuals, not hand-made illustrations. I do my best to make them interesting, yet obvious. They are not meant to be read as traditional illustrations, but as atmospheric companions.
Abandoned Hand-Illustration Path
I have not fully given up on the idea of illustrating my poetry by hand using oil, acrylic, or watercolor. Last autumn I worked on this seriously, but eventually shelved it.
The process slowed the project down significantly. More importantly, it began to pull attention away from the poetry itself, which should remain the primary focus. I do have a conceptual idea for illustrating Hush Halo later, but it still requires substantial development and time.
Cover Versus Interior Logic
The cover will feature an alien flower that appears almost real, but reveals bolts, screws, and wires on closer inspection.
Visually, the cover is intentionally different from the interior imagery. This feels acceptable to me because I want the covers to form a consistent visual family, while allowing the interior aesthetics to shift with each book’s narrative and tone.
Below are some of the imagery I have planned for my dystopian poetry book, Paradise Beyond Pulse.
Layout and pacing decision
I have currently designed the book so that images appear roughly every 10 to 14 pages. This spacing keeps the focus firmly on the poems and soundscapes.
The images are not there to explain, symbolize, or guide interpretation. Their primary function is to add breathing room. Atmosphere and mood are secondary effects.
Unresolved Decision
The remaining question is whether the book should include images at all. I am still weighing this choice.
The poems stand on their own, but the images may support the reader’s endurance and rhythm without competing for meaning. That said, I am open to reconsidering the entire visual layer if it ultimately serves the poetry better to remove it.
What do you think? Should poetry books have images?
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I personally love a poetry book with images. I enjoy the visuals too, but it’s your personal choice.
I think the illustrations are a good idea because you are doing them thoughtfully with good taste. The poems and their format on the page is primary to the collection—then adding in illustrations timely paced would add to the atmosphere. If done right, I don’t think it would subtract from the poems but add dimension to the dystopian world you’ve created.