You may not want to whisk National Poetry Month to the side so quickly; there are some pretty remarkable and cool things about poetry aside from rhyming and stanzas that may just surprise you.
National Poetry Month is observed every April in the United States! And there are plenty of creative and enjoyable ways to celebrate National Poetry Month. You’re kicking things off to a great start right now, which is discovering what this month of poetry is all about and how you can be a part of it.
Time to kick off the National Poetry Month extravaganza!
What is National Poetry Month?
National Poetry Month got its lovely start in 1996 through the great minds of the Academy of American Poets, a nonprofit that supports, provides resources, and empowers the start and journey of a poet. How pure is that?
National Poetry Month was created with a heart full of love and admiration for those who weave words on the world’s loom and share them with everyone. It’s a month to appreciate, learn, compliment, and write and read poetry.
People may ask why there has to be a whole month dedicated to poetry and its poets, or why it’s being recognized at all. And to that, we say, do you enjoy music, a good dramatic film, or the feeling of being unconditionally loved? Poetry has influenced several things in our culture that we may not even be aware of. From how artists rhyme and form their lyrics to the romance movies our hearts clench onto, poetry is born inside all of us, and April is the month to embrace that.
With that, let’s start this celebration and learn more about getting involved with National Poetry Month!
National Poetry Month: How To Get Involved
Getting involved in National Poetry Month starts with an easy step, which you’ve already done! You searched on your own to see what this month was all about. Check!
Next up is getting into some fun National Poetry Month activities, or if you’re very new to poetry and you want to start off slow and ease your way into it, we can start out with some basics. All is well in the month of poetry!
- Watch a movie: Why not ease your way into National Poetry Month by watching a movie? There are quite a few wonderful films out there that center around the themes of poetry. A few examples are: Poetic Justice, Bright Star, and Dead Poets Society.
- Stroll the Poetry Isle: Take a trip to your local library or bookstore and go to the poetry section. You don’t have to check out or purchase a book, unless you feel so inclined to, but just taking a look at all the different collections of poetry out there can get you feeling inspired and in the poetry mood. Who knows, you may even come across some indie poets you haven’t heard of before!
- Explore #poetry: Something beautiful about poetry is that it’s universal; there’s poetry everywhere! Look up #poetry on any social media app, and you’ll be immersed in a poetic world unfathomably large!
- Coffee & Poetry: If you’re feeling antsy to get into some real poetry, grab a cup of coffee and get started! Need some poet suggestions? One of the most recognizable poets is Emily Dickinson; who wouldn’t praise her work? Alas, for just getting your feet wet with poetry, we suggest Robert Frost. His poems are easy to follow, embrace elements of nature, and they’re very human. If you appreciate the classics but you’re looking for something a little more modern, we humbly suggest Maya Angelou, Rupi Kaur, Gregory Pardlo, B.A. McRae, and Warsan Shire.
It all starts with finding your taste in poetry and discovering poems, poets, themes, and aesthetics that fit into that slice of poetry haven you’ve found.
How to Awaken Your Inner Poet
Awakening your inner poet may not be as difficult as it sounds. Truly, there’s a little poet inside all of us. Some of those gravitate toward fast rhymes alongside a sick beat, and others prefer the coziness of thought-provoking free verse words. There isn’t a wrong side of poetry to fit into, as long as you’re not criticizing other styles.
Here are a few tips on how you can get started on awakening your inner poet for National Poetry Month:
- Read some poetry quotes on Pinterest
- Try writing a poem
- Take a look at Indie poets on Instagram #PoetsofInstagram
- Make a list of things that make you feel inspired
- Watch a movie about poetry
- Get creative with Black Out Poetry
- Listen to poetry read on YouTube or Spotify
This is a time of year to embrace creativity and explore the depths of your own inner creativity in ways you haven’t! With that being said, don’t be afraid to try something new and explore multiple National Poetry Month activities and discover parts of your creative mind that have been left untapped for too long.
Discover National Poetry Month Near You
Since this is a national holiday within the U.S., it’s fun to see if each state has its own poetry scene. Whether it’s simply subscribing to an email list, becoming a part of a Facebook group, meeting up with other poets at your local library/reading local poet’s books, there’s an array of options once you find a source from your state.
We’ve taken the liberty of providing some starting links for you, but please do take the reigns and discover even more National Poetry Month fun in your state!
A big cheers and huzzah for the grand month of poetry! You’ve not only learned where National Poetry Month comes from and why it’s celebrated, but you’ve got a great start on how you can get involved in this inspiring month.
And just like that, the interesting and wild poetry ride has come to an end. But that doesn’t mean the fun stops there! You can learn more about ways to celebrate National Poetry Month, How to Write a Poem, and more!