April is National Poetry Month

National Poetry Month (NPM) is a month-long, national celebration of poetry that takes place each April. Established by the Academy of American Poets, the concept is to increase public awareness of the art of poetry, living poets, our complex poetic heritage, and poetry books and journals.

First celebrated in 1996, the Academy reaches out to educators, librarians, and booksellers, distributing hundreds of thousands of NPM posters and holding special events.

The Academy’s website offers free poetry lesson plans and tip sheets for teachers, tip sheets for librarians and booksellers, and a list of 30 ways you can celebrate National Poetry Month.

How do you plan to celebrate National Poetry Month?

I'm going to teach a workshop on using your five senses in your writing to a group of Third Grade students in town this week. In addition to planned activities, I think I'll share "Paul Revere's Ride" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The kids have been studying colonial America this year, so it would work into the lesson and tie in National Poetry Month, which they have also been discussing.

You can also look for our review of My Heart and Soul by Marilyn Randall on April 22nd.

Whether you reacquaint yourself with poems you loved years ago or discover a new poet whose work you enjoy, be sure to celebrate National Poetry Month in some way. If you decide to pen your own poem, I would be thrilled if you shared it here.