April is National Poetry Month!

"Poetry is what Milton saw when he went blind."
--Don Marquis (1878 - 1937) US journalist, poet, dramatist, humorist

"Poetry is life distilled."
--Gwendolyn Brooks (1917 - 2000) US poet

If babies and children are fortunate enough to have someone read nursery rhymes to them, then the magic of language, imagery, and emotion go with them to enhance other areas of their developing minds--art, music, mathematics, history, and science. The vivid images of the cow jumping over the moon, the musical rhyming of the magical cat with the red-striped hat, and the playful artistry and humor of poets such as Jack Prelutsky unobtrusively introduce children to the possibilities that language offers them.

If you were not one of these fortunate youngsters, it's not too late to celebrate, appreciate, and even create the literary form known as poetry.

Come by the library this month and enjoy:

• A list of important poets (past and present), compiled by English professor Brian Hale
• A display of books of poetry by these and other poets selected by librarian Sandra Williford
• A copy of the Phoenix, a publication of creative writing by Chattanooga State students

We hope you will take a few moments to make poetry a part of your busy life this month. Sign up for a Poem-a-Day and one poem will be sent to your inbox during the month of April.

"Now, how cool is that?"
Said the cat with the hat
As he sat by the rat
Who had chewed on the bat
That Matt left on the mat.
"Way cool!" said the rat.