Tuesday, April 1, 2014

National Poetry Month 2014


April is National Poetry Month! Sponsored by the Academy of American Poets, this year's poster for the celebration features heart-stopping lines from "Song of Myself" by Walt Whitman.

This month:
Read your favorite poet again.
Read some new poetry. Find a new favorite poet.
Write some poetry.
Leave poems for people to find in public places.
Read poetry out loud to family and friends.
Dream a poem.

And April 24th, 2014 is Poem In Your Pocket Day. According to the Academy of American Poets, "The idea is simple: select a poem you love during National Poetry Month then carry it with you to share with co-workers, family, and friends."

I'll be posting poems, some by me, some by others, during the month.

And to kick it off, here is the appropriately titled "April" by Jean Valentine.

April

Suppose we are standing together a minute
on the wire floor of a gasenwagon:
suppose we are in the dark.

It's warm and dry.
We have food.
We aren't in hiding waiting, mostly
we're sitting in our own light rooms.

Come over, bring things: bring
milk, peanut butter,
your pills, your woolens, crayons.

Nuns pray.
Snow. It's dark.
Pray for our friends who died
last year and the year
before and who will die this year.

Let's speak,
as the bees do.


http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/41
http://www.poets.org/
http://www.jeanvalentine.com/

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