April 2021 is the 25th Annual National Poetry Month
Poetry is a beautiful thing. It can help us connect to the world around us, and to the people around us. Many people might prefer kicking back with a fantasy novel, or a memoir, but poetry can be just as life-changing, and bring just as much happiness. In 1996, the Academy of American Poets introduced National Poetry Month, to increase folks’ awareness and love for poetry.
Since then, every April has been National Poetry Month, and it’s a great time to take the chance to introduce yourself to some new poets and find a new favorite.
Finding Some New Favorites
If you’re a beginner to reading poetry, Mary Oliver’s works are both beautiful and accessible. Her poem, The Summer’s Day, is a great poem to read as the weather warms up, and it allows a reader to get lost in her appreciation for the world around her. If you want a poet a little less contemporary, but you enjoy poetry about nature, Emily Dickinson’s Nature Rarer Uses Yellow is a lovely poem to enjoy in the golden sunshine.
Some might not enjoy a long poem, but if size is no objection for you, Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself is a classic, and worth a read if you want to expand your poetry knowledge. Langston Hughes, a poet associated with the Harlem Renaissance, is another popular historic poet. His poem Dreams is a short read, but a good one.
Other Ways To Celebrate
Of course, reading poetry yourself isn’t the only way to enjoy National Poetry Month. If there are little ones in your life, you could introduce them to the joys of poetry early on. Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends is a great poem for kids and adults alike to enjoy.
Another great way to celebrate is to sign up for the poem a day program at poets.org. This way, you can enjoy a new poem every morning for the month of April. If you have a favorite, or you’re looking for a new favorite, consider making a trip to the Williamson Public Library to check out a volume of poetry during National Poetry Month.
Finally, don’t be intimidated. Poetry is for everyone-- both to read, and to write. If you have something you want to share with the world, get it out on paper. You might learn more about yourself than you think.
For more ideas on how to celebrate National Poetry Month this April, click here.