2020 is the year of the
Coronavirus, but the disease can not control your strength, passion, creativity,
faith or other aspects of individualism. There is no better way to express one’s
emotions, no matter what they are than through poetry.
April 2020 will mark the 24th
anniversary of National Poetry Month established and organized by the (February) and Women’s History Month (March),
they created National Poetry Month with a launch date of April 1996 with their
focus on support of poetry and poets through the increased reading of poetry,
increased publication and distribution of poetry books, enhance poetry
awareness through national and social media, entice teachers to bring poetry
into their classrooms, and highlight the legendary and ongoing works of American
Poets.
In 1998, the Academy of American
Poets partnered with the American Poet & Literary Project and distributed
100,000 free poetry books across the United States during National Poetry
Month. In April of this year, President Bill Clinton and the First Lady hosted the
first Poetry& the Creative Mind gala featuring Poets Laureates Robert
Pinsky, Rita Dove, and Robert Hass. This is now an annual event.
In 2002, the Academy of American
Poets invited people to vote for the poet best suited for a commemorative
postage stamp. Over 10,000 ballots were cast with the winner being Langston
Hughes (February 1, 1902-May 22, 1967). The stamp was issued in 2002.
In 2006, the Academy of American Poets
launched Poem-a-Day, publishing one new poem on its website, Poets.org each day
during the National Poetry Month (NPM). This program is now distributed via the
web, social media and email 350,000+ readers for free and syndicated by King
Features.
In 2012, the Academy of American
Poets launched Dear Poet, inviting students to read and write poems during NPM,
of which, some are published on Poets.org. This project also assists teachers
with a curriculum for using Dear Poet in their classrooms.
In addition, each year the Academy
of American Poets partners with award winner designers and commission a poster
for National Poetry Month. They distribute over 120,000 posters to schools,
libraries, and bookstores from coast-to-coast. Individuals can also download an
8x12 copy of the poster from their PC, https://poets.org/national-poetry-month
National Poetry Month focuses on
awareness and the introduction of great poems and poets. There are over 30 ways to
celebrate this event. Here are my top five ways to celebrate:
Read Poetry. The best way to
appreciate poetry is to read it. Great poems and poets are easy to find. Visit
the poetry section of your local library. Subscribe to a literary journal, or
buy a poetry collection. Browse poetry websites, and if you find a work you
admire, leave a comment on your opinion. Or you can sign up for Poem-a-Day.
Write Poetry. Everyone has a
little bit of a poet within him/her. It’s cathartic, it’s fun, and if you need
prompts you can find one every day in April on the Poetic Asides blog. Write a
poem about your favorite friend, animal or lover. Poetry has many forms Rhyming,
Free verse, Ode, Haiku, and so forth, try writing a poem in different forms, or
if you feel the need for free expression— chalk a poem on a sidewalk.
Experience Poetry. Poetry can be
found on YouTube. Search for “poetry reading” or “poetry slam,” there you’ll
find hours of performances for you viewing pleasure.
Share Poetry. To love poetry
is to share it. April 30th is Poem in Your Pocket Day, a day where you carry a
favorite poem and share it throughout the day. Or, take your favorite
collection and lend it to a friend. You may even want to give a book of poetry
as a gift or write a collaborative poem with someone.
Publish Poetry. If you already
doing the above for mentioned year-round, it may be time to take your poetry
passion to the next level by getting your work published. Send your poems to a
publication you love or post them online via a blog or forum (like YouTube). If
you like the self-publication route, contact printers about creating a
high-quality, low-cost chapbook you can give to friends and family.
Poetry is a very creative and
expressive art forum. It transcends our physical bonds and is the true essence
of free expression that everyone should experience. Even if you’re not a
poet—celebrating National Poetry Month will be a rewarding and interesting
journey.
2020 is an exceptional year. Use good judgment, be safe and be strong.
