April is National Poetry Month. First celebrated in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets, National Poetry Month is dedicated to honoring poetry's integral role in our culture.
You can join in the celebration in several different ways. Start by finding some good poetry to read. If you aren't sure where to start, come to our Poetry Speed Dating event on Tuesday, April 18th. We will be sampling many different kinds of poetry as we "speed date" each poetry book. Check our calendar for exact times and register for this event here.
Another way you can celebrate is by writing poetry.
Pick up a pen and speak your mind.
See if you can make it rhyme.
It only takes a little time.
Alternatively, you could attend a poetry reading or sign up for a Poem-a-Day delivered to your inbox from www.poets.org.
Be sure to follow #NationalPoetryMonth on social media to see what others are doing to commemorate this occasion.
Check out the recommended poetry reads below to get started!
Happy reading!
"An anthology of poems from around the world and through the ages on the subjects of books and libraries"-- Provided by publisher.
Alone Together: Love, Grief, and Comfort During the Time of COVID-19 is a collection of essays, poems, and interviews to serve as a lifeline for negotiating how to connect and thrive during this stressful time of isolation as well as a historical perspective that will remain relevant for years to come. The overarching theme is how this age of isolation and uncertainty holds the possibility of changing us as individuals and a society.
"In this stunning collection, Joy Harjo finds blessings in the abundance of her homeland and confronts the site where the Mvskoke people, including her own ancestors, were forcibly displaced. From her memory of her mother's death, to her beginnings in the Native rights movement, to the fresh road with her beloved, Harjo's personal life intertwines with tribal histories to create a space for renewed beginnings."--Back cover.
Themes of self-discovery, tending the garden of the soul, and nurturing yourself into blossom, Amid Thirsty Vines by Instagram poetry star Alfa is the collection you need to feel the power of the beautiful flowers within you, and to find the love you deserve.
Continues and deepens the work of the first BreakBeat Poets anthology by focusing on some of the most exciting Black women writing today. This anthology breaks up the myth of hip-hop as a boys' club, and asserts the truth that the cypher is a feminine form. --From publisher description.