National Poetry Writing Month
What is National Poetry Month (National Poetry Writing Month, NaPoWriMo) and Why Is It a Thing?
Each April, from the first of the month until the thirtieth, poets from all over celebrate poetry through a variety of modalities from writing poetry (#NaPoWriMo) to sharing it, talking about it, teaching and workshopping, buying it, volunteering, and donating funds.
It was originally started in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets as an endeavor to celebrate American poetry, National Poetry Month was inspired by both Black History Month in February and Women’s History Month in March. The effort is to inspire attention, appreciation, and readership of poetry not just throughout the month of April but year-round.
“Poetry is nearer to vital truth than history. ”
Why Does Poetry Matter?
There are as many answers to the question of poetry’s importance as there are poets. In her renowned poetry craft book Writing Down the Bones, author Natalie Goldberg posits that art matters because it is a documentation of existence, and our most precious defense against genocide.
“We are important and our lives are important, magnificent really, and their details are worthy to be recorded. This is how writers must think, this is how we must sit down with pen in hand. We were here; we are human beings; this is how we lived. Let it be known, the earth passed before us. Our details are important. Otherwise, if they are not, we can drop a bomb and it doesn't matter. . . Recording the details of our lives is a stance against bombs with their mass ability to kill, against too much speed and efficiency. A writer must say yes to life, to all of life: the water glasses, the Kemp's half-and-half, the ketchup on the counter. It is not a writer's task to say, "It is dumb to live in a small town or to eat in a café when you can eat macrobiotic at home." Our task is to say a holy yes to the real things of our life as they exist – the real truth of who we are: several pounds overweight, the gray, cold street outside, the Christmas tinsel in the showcase, the Jewish writer in the orange booth across from her blond friend who has black children. We must become writers who accept things as they are, come to love the details, and step forward with a yes on our lips so there can be no more noes in the world, noes that invalidate life and stop these details from continuing.”
― Natalie Goldberg, Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within
Meanwhile, the well-known publishing, education and media company Scholastic says that the reason poetry is important in particular to children is that it provides a simple way to understand the complexities of life by offering engaging and dynamic language which can increase empathy and creativity. This seems to be true for anyone, though, regardless of age.
“The poet is the priest of the invisible. ”
What To Do For National Poetry Month
How do you celebrate National Poetry Writing Month? There are so many ways to participate, and not all of them are writing. Here’s a list of ideas to help celebrate this month:
Read some poetry! Whether it’s from books you already own, a library loan, or even the oft-underutilized resource of online poetry journals, take in some new work. Revisit some old classics. See what stands out to you. Perhaps consider creating a poetry journal where you document the titles of each poem you read and add a rating system purely for your own entertainment.
Write something. It doesn’t have to be any good (in fact, Oscar Wilde said that “all bad poetry springs from genuine feeling.” Just feel it and write it!), it just needs to exist. Try taking on a 30/30 challenge, where you write thirty poems in thirty days, and check out the NaPoWriMo hashtag on social media to see what others are sharing. Or just write one poem. Write a word! Write anything.
Even if you don’t feel like writing, check out what poets are sharing today with the NaPoWriMo hashtag, and try searching for some new places to read poetry. If you’re out of ideas, what about the Taco Bell Quarterly, where every single piece of art is related to— you guessed it— Taco Bell?
Donate to a great cause. One such place is Poets in Need, a non-profit that provides emergency financial relief to established poets who experience crisis such as flood, fire, or medical issues. Another is Lambda Literary who provide LGBTQIA+ books to schools and support emerging queer poets.
Volunteer! Seek out positions as a volunteer poetry reader for an online magazine. Or, if you’re more of a teacher, create a free workshop and teach at a local school or community center. Whatever you have capacity for, the literary community will appreciate your time. Plus, regardless of whichever route you choose, it will enhance your writing skills.
Engage with the poets in your life. I know that my work could use more eyes and hearts— you can be that person for the poets in your life! Read their work, hit the “like” button and share it to your social media. Tag your friend, hype them up, buy their chapbooks, and attend their readings. Be a good literary citizen— the favor will surely make its way back to you, too.
Don’t feel like reading? Simply listen. National treasure and Oregon Poet Laureate Anis Mojgani has a daily poetry hotline with fresh listens every 24 hours. There’s even an archive of past years’ poems if you want more than your daily fix. And don’t worry, fellow phone-shy folks— you don’t have to talk to anyone at all. Just listen and soak in the 90’s analog vibes. Call: (503) 928-7008 (I personally saved it as a contact in my phone so I can call for pick-me-ups throughout each day)
From Poets.org:
The 2024 poster features artwork by award-winning children’s author and illustrator Jack Wong, and lines from “blessing the boats” by beloved poet Lucille Clifton. Wong was selected by Scholastic—the global children’s publishing, education, and media company—to create the artwork for this year’s poster as part of a new National Poetry Month initiative between the publisher and the Academy of American Poets.
Get a PDF of this poster here.
Plain Text Version: Every Other Tuesday
originally published by ONE ART February 2024Therapy begins at the same time as it always does
this morning, and it’s not the first time my voice
is all stone truth: “I think I might be cursed.”My licensed therapist who is also secretly a witch
sees the light in my eyes flicker, and their hair stands on end.
They say, “that’s a sign that there’s truth there.”This is how it works, therapy: I hand them a tangle
made of all my smallest pieces, they point to it
and say, “what a mess.”Sometimes, this is enough magic to feel
a little bit like sanity— just being told
I’m not imagining it all.