Thursday, April 01, 2021

April is National Poetry Month!

 

Twenty-five years of National Poetry Month!  Poetry month was launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996 to remind the public that poets have an integral role to play in our culture and that poetry matters. Now, as we face an unprecedented circumstance, National Poetry Month has taken on new meaning and importance. More and more people are turning to poetry at this moment, because poetry and inspiring language can help bring solace and needed strength. Find more at National Poetry Month

Speaking of poetry and poets, Chatt State had Jericho Brown for this year’s Writers at Work! Find out more about the poet at JerichoBrown.com.
During his On Being interview, Jericho Brown read the poem “Foreday in the Morning” and talked about the way small truths — like, “I love my mother” — can reveal something larger.

Listen to the reading of Foreday in the Morning.

Check out The Tradition from the Chatt State Library OverDrive electronic book collection.

Here are some of the suggestions for this year’s Poetry Month:

Check out the back issues of Chattanooga State's literary publication, The Phoenix, for local poets.

Find solace and energy through the reading of poetry. Poem in Your Pocket Day is April 29th -- during Poem in Your Pocket Day, read a poem to your friends online or to your family at home. We invite you to join in the celebration by reading poetry, listening to a poem read aloud or going to a poetry reading.

Last year, The Willa Cather Foundation read a poem a day in April from Cather's April Twilights collection. Willa Cather published April Twilights, her first book of poetry, in 1903. Her poetry demonstrates her rich interests in literature, music, the arts, and settings of the world.

Listen to poetry at the Poetry Foundation.

This year’s poster highlights the poetic words of Poet Laureate, Joy Harjo.


Video of Jericho Brown Bullet Points



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