If you didn’t know, April is National Poetry Month! If you’re unsure what that is and what it means, keep reading!
The first National Poetry Month was declared in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets. This idea was constructed after the academy noticed the successful celebrations of Black History Month in February and Women’s History Month which takes place in March. In the past, the making of this National celebration has helped bring poetry to classrooms, remember the legacy of many American poets and motivate others to read, write and even publish poems.
During these past 21 years, this celebration has brought poet enthusiasts, both young and old, together for many of the events that happen during this month. Luckily there are tons to choose from because this month encompasses the largest literary celebration in the world. You should take the opportunity to celebrate this fantastic month that has shaped the climate of our community and classrooms. Unsure of how to celebrate? Well, here are eight ways to celebrate!
- Search for local events using the “National Poetry Month” hashtags.
These events can be commonly found on social media networks such as Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram and many others. By searching the hashtag, you will be instantly connected to local and global poets, their poems and festivals that are happening throughout the month.
- Join the “Poem-A-Day” Challenge.
There are many variations of this challenge that encourage you to read, write or do both for the month of April. This isn’t a competition, it’s simply a personal challenge for yourself. Whatever you decide to do for the challenge, just make sure you are putting in effort to it. Consistency is key. Just remember “a poem a day keeps bad thoughts away.”
- Attend poetry workshops
If you are a poetry enthusiast or just someone that admires poetry from afar, it is encouraged that you attend any workshops that happen during this month. Some of them are hosted by local poets and there are many occasions when published poets will host the event. Either way, you are bound to learn a great amount about the fluidity of poem and could have an opportunity to hear a piece from the host or others around you.
- Take the time to learn about different poetic forms
There are so many people that are unknowledgeable about the different forms, who think all poems have to rhyme and there is a certain structure to poetry. This is not true. While there are forms out there that are super structured with rules like cinquains, haiku’s and sonnets but there are also other forms like free verse that allow for the author to have full control of rhyme scheme, syllable count and the number of lines. Take the time to learn about each one. The best way to learn is by making one, keeping in mind the rules or lack thereof pertaining to which type of poem you are creating.
- Read a poem at an open mic
This month is most likely the most packed with open mic events because there are businesses and venues that want to celebrate National Poetry Month. You don’t have to be a professional, you don’t have to be a skilled poet to do an open mic, hence the name. Not only is it open to the public, it’s open to anyone no matter their skill level. If you have a poem this month that you simply like, you are more than free to share it with the rest of the audience. Feeling shy about sharing your own piece? Don’t. The atmosphere of open mics is typically a judgement free area because the people that frequently attend these events respect the fact that everyone’s craft is different. Don’t let fear keep you in your seat, recite the poem because someone else probably needed to hear whatever you prepared to share.
- Join a poetry reading group
This is a technique most commonly used when people want to understand poems and see firsthand how everyone’s perception of the poem may be different. Find a group of people that are interested in reading poetry with you. This could be a group of your closest friends, local community members that are interested in the same thing you are or even an online poetry reading group. Either way, be prepared to read good pieces that are followed by a good discussion. You may go even farther to looking up the author in order to understand their background. This will help you unpack their poem and hopefully help you understand it more.
- Search YouTube for more poems
Think of YouTube as a database of poetry. While YouTube offers much more than just that, there is a large amount of videos dedicated to the poetic craft. This is not only a website where you can see some of your favorite poetry read by published authors, but also see many underrated and skilled artists leave it all on the stage. There are channels such as “Brave New Voices” and “Button Poetry” that allow you to see select artists performances during poetry competitions. These festivals and competition are guaranteed to be entertaining for both the poets and the audience. Hopefully, you are encouraged to go to YouTube sometime during this month and check out the talented poets do what they love.
- Carry around a “Pocket Poem”
All this requires for you to do is to pick a poem that you like each day, put it in your pocket and share it with those around you. You could share this with family, co-workers or complete strangers. By participating in this, you could be sharing the art of poetry with someone for the first time. Choose a poem that is a favorite of yours, one that sticks out to you or simply a positive and motivational one. No matter what you choose, make the most out of the poems each day.
These are just 8 ways to celebrate National Poetry Month. Your ways of celebrating can be as private or public as you like but just be sure to celebrate this month. If you are unable to celebrate, pass these tips to others so that they can join the celebration.