Tiny Universe

by Rachel Beachy

From the first aching seconds to the first toddling steps, this collection is a gentle invitation to reflect and “look how far you’ve come.” So often, motherhood is loaded with advice or judgment, but Rachel’s tender and deeply observant poems are a reminder to just be and enjoy. Her words unlocked memories and allowed me to relive joyful moments from my own experiences. But even more importantly, each poem makes you feel a little less alone. Rachel is a gifted storyteller and evocative writer, allowing readers to hold space for the particular rollercoaster of emotions in early parenthood. Reading this felt like a much-needed hug from a good friend.


— Katy Luxem , author, Until It Is True





What an art to feel completely moved in few words. Collectively it feels like a familiar home, and each page is a window into my emotions.


— Jessica Urlichs , author, Beautiful Chaos





Tiny Universe is a beautiful encapsulation of early motherhood and its complexities — how the hard parts live alongside the happy parts, and all we can do is embrace it. Reading these poems took my breath away and made my heart ache. I felt so seen and reflected in Rachel’s raw, candid accounts of her own experiences.


— Kelsey Haywood Lucas , creator, Motherspeak

100 pages, Paperback

Published September 4, 2025

Reviews

[Katy Luxem]

Gorgeous collection of motherhood poems. I very much enjoyed.

[Amy Living Well Read]

These days my tiny universe involves prom shoes, crochet hooks and yarn everywhere, lots of yelling over Fortnite matches, me in either pajama pants or teaching dresses, and coffee. Always coffee. I'm so thankful to be a mother to my daughter and son, and I'm continually grateful for poets like Rachel Beachy who put words to the experience of motherhood.

A dear friend sent this book of poetry to me, and I fully intended to read the poems slowly, but I consumed this book of poetry voraciously, like I was starving for these words. And I think I was. The author puts words to the experience of mothering young children so perfectly and poignantly, and although my own children are older, I still found so much truth in her words, and I think maybe l feel them in a way that is even more potent knowing that I only have a few more years left with my oldest.

I so wish I'd had this book when I was in those earliest days of motherhood, but I'm grateful to have it now, and I will absolutely be buying this book for all the new mothers in my life. This is my official new book recommendation for a gift for new mothers.
Highly, highly recommend this collection for anyone in the throes of the early days of motherhood. I will be rereading all of the poems again slowly and savoring them.

Unsurprisingly, "Ode to Mary Oliver" was among my favorite in this collection. "Vigilant/e" is another one | deeply loved, and "Spoilers" made me weep from the truth of it.

Thank you for your words, @rachelbeachywrites.
Motherhood is beautiful and difficult, and I'm so thankful for how your poetry puts to words the deepest riches and challenges.

[Nicole Zwolinski]

Rachel Beachy’s first collection of poetry is an absolute delight. Spanning pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and beyond, Beachy manages to deliver a comprehensive representation about what it means to be a mother. She doesn’t shy away from the heartbreak, the emotional toll hormones create or the heaviness of motherhood, and each poem splays your heart, sometimes blooming with joy.

If you are a mother, you will see yourself in these poems. Like “Hysterical Strength” which brilliantly describes a mother’s strength. “This Means War” conveys how mothers’ instinct is flares up immediately for their child, not matter how small the threat. It is small poem packed with power. All the poems are so beautiful and capture the emotions of motherhood. Buy this book for all the mothers you know.

[sal]

When I was a brand new mom with young kids, I wanted to read something that felt like it was written by a brand new mom with young kids. I was sick of stories that felt zoomed out. I wanted something real, honest, raw.
In TINY UNIVERSE, Beachy does exactly that. She pinpoints specific joys of motherhood... and also the worries that the moment will end.
And she does it beautifully.
If you're a parent, you want to read this poetry collection.

[Kari Heggen (checkedoutbooks)]

I found Rachel Beachy by chance on Instagram and have loved following her poetry on there. It's a ode to motherhood mostly via connection, positivity and knowing childhood won't last. I wish this collection existed 2 years ago as I think that would have been the perfect time for a lot of the poems to have maximum impact on me. Many of them still felt powerful but some felt like missed timing for me personally.

[Tate Moore]

The most beautiful poetry collective celebrating the heart of motherhood. This book will immediately have you resonating with every page and feels like a warm cup of tea and the comfort of a best friend walking through motherhood with you. I want to frame each poem and have her beautiful words all around my home to remind me of the preciousness of this season.

[Jane]

Stunning! I read this slowly because it was so beautiful and didn’t want it to end. Let my husband read some that were especially relatable and we both marveled at how she could use so few words to say so much! Deeply empathetic, a beautiful tribute to the season of mothering in the young years.

[Nicollette]

Very easy and quick book of poems. Bring a new mom means I want to read but have little time sometimes to sit down, and the poems were beautiful and heart-wrenching in all the perfect ways about motherhood.

[Anna Lubowitz]

Feels so validating to see what lives in my mind and heart written so beautifully in this little (but powerful) collection. Required reading for moms of children of all ages, newborn to adult. Can’t wait to read it 100 more times.

[Katie White]

I’m not crying, you’re crying! What a beautiful collection of poems about motherhood. I just had my second and these all hit close to home. Bravo!

[Rebecca Lumbrix]

A perfect book to make you cry during a contact nap

[Deanna]

Just beautiful. I devoured this, sobbing from the first page.