April is the cruelest month. --T.S. Eliot
Perhaps Eliot's April chagrin would be lessened a bit today, thanks to the fact that April is now celebrated each year as National Poetry Month. Originally started in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets, it has grown into the largest literary celebration in the world.
I was fortunate to develop a love of poetry at a very young age. Perhaps the most influential person who helped to instill my appreciation for finely crafted poetry was my third grade teacher, Mr. Lightburn. At the age of seven, I memorized over a hundred poems and wrote many of my own. I can still recite the first poem I ever committed to memory, Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost, and I carry it with me to this day as a treasured gem that springs to mind each winter as I watch the "woods fill up with snow."
Whether you are new to poetry or a lifelong fan, I encourage you to celebrate National Poetry Month. There are many ways to express and explore an interest in poetry. Schools and libraries in your area likely offer programs specifically geared towards teaching and learning about poetry this month. You can check out a book of poetry from the library or buy a collection of poems from your local bookstore or online. Subscribe to a poetry journal. It might be fun to attend a poetry reading at your local library or coffee house. Try writing a poem yourself, or if you are an experienced poet, submit your poetry for publication, or simply share it with others.
At Poets.org, you can register to have a poem-a-day e-mailed directly to you free of charge during the month of April. These poems will feature new work that will be published this spring, so it's a good way to preview some upcoming talent in the world of poetry. Poets.org also offers a plethora of online poetry resources geared towards adults and children alike, including a National Poetry Map that lists facts about poets from your area as well as information about upcoming poetry events.
April 17 is Poem in Your Pocket Day. You can join others across the world by jotting down one of your favorite poems to carry with you.
For more information about National Poetry Month, visit the Academy of American Poets website at poets.org.
Article comments
1 - Kevin Eagan
It's too bad that poetry gets relegated to the sidelines now, both in the publishing industry and general public perception. It's such a moving literary form, yet a book of poetry is considered a "hit" if it sells more than 20,000 or so copies. If anything, T.S. Eliot's "Waste Land" quote about April being the cruelest month is even more relevant, since his beloved art form gets so ignored.
However, there are some excellent poets currently writing, and I hope to have a poetry book review or two this month.
2 - poetryman69
morning madness
blue thunder
commuter traffic awakes and growls
hungry for gasoline and bad coffee
3 - Lisa Damian
I look forward to the poetry reviews. It is heart-breaking that poetry is not given more attention in our society. Every good writer could learn lessons from this artful form of expression, and readers can find a bit of truth or emotion in just a few short lines of a well written poem.
YES, I highly encourage poems as comments to this article. Thank you.
4 - Natalie Bennett
This article has been selected for syndication to Boston.com. Nice work!
5 - Lisa Damian
Thank you. Being a former Boston resident myself, I love the Boston Globe and Boston.com.