Aprilis

National Poetry Month

poem-in-your-pocket day

April 27

BLK History MonthBY NIKKI GIOVANNI

If Black History Month is notviable then wind does notcarry the seeds and drop themon fertile groundrain does notdampen the landand encourage the seedsto rootsun does notwarm the earthand kiss the seedlingsand tell them plain:You’re As Good As Anybody ElseYou’ve Got A Place Here, Too

“Where did the handsome beloved go?”BY  JALAL AL-DIN RUMITRANSLATED BY BRAD GOOCH  AND MARYAM MORTAZ

Where did the handsome beloved go?I wonder, where did that tall, shapely cypress tree go?

He spread his light among us like a candle.Where did he go? So strange, where did he go without me?

All day long my heart trembles like a leaf.All alone at midnight, where did that beloved go?

Go to the road, and ask any passing traveler — That soul-stirring companion, where did he go?

Go to the garden, and ask the gardener — That tall, shapely rose stem, where did he go?

Go to the rooftop, and ask the watchman — That unique sultan, where did he go?

Like a madman, I search in the meadows!That deer in the meadows, where did he go?

My tearful eyes overflow like a river — That pearl in the vast sea, where did he go?

All night long, I implore both moon and Venus — That lovely face, like a moon, where did he go?

If he is mine, why is he with others?Since he’s not here, to what “there” did he go?

If his heart and soul are joined with God,And he left this realm of earth and water, where did he go?

Tell me clearly, Shams of Tabriz,Of whom it is said, “The sun never dies” — where did he go?  

Translated from the Persian

“Wonderment is the first passion of all… Those without any natural inclination to this passion are ordinarily very ignorant.” DescartesWhen Ure Hero Falls

when your hero falls from grace all fairy tales r uncovered myths exposed and pain magnified the greatest pain discovered 

u taught me 2 be strong but im confused 2 c u so weak u said never 2 give up and it hurts 2 c u welcome defeat 

when ure hero falls so do the stars and so does the perception of tomorrow without my hero there is only me alone 2 deal with my sorrow your heart ceases 2 work and your soul is not happy at all what r u expected 2 do when ure only hero fallsTupac Shakur

haikus

limerickssonnets

Iambic pentameter

stanza

coupletrhyme

figurative language

sensory imagery

spoken word

songs/lyricsfree verse

novels in verse

slam poetryblackout poetry

the love unseen and the love unheard and the love unsaid

—Octavio Paz, born # OTD  in 1914

BIG CATCH

At sunrise, glorious sunriseit’s a big catch!A big catch of sardines!

On the beach, it’s like a festivalbut in the sea, they will holdfuneralsfor the tens of thousands dead.

Misuzu Kaneko

30 ways to celebrate national poetry month

1. Request a free copy of the National Poetry Month poster until mid-April; posters can be purchased for $5.00 each in our Poets shop thereafter (while supplies list).

2. Sign up for Poem-a-Day and read a poem each morning.3. Sign up for Teach This Poem, a weekly series for teachers.4. Memorize a poem .5. Create an anthology  of your favorite poems on Poets.org.6. Encourage a young person to participate in the Dear Poet project.7. Buy a book of poetry from your local bookstore.8. Review these concrete examples of how poetry matters in the United States today.9. Learn more about poets and poetry events in your state.10. Ask your governor or mayor for a proclamation in support of National Poetry Month.11. Attend a poetry reading at a local university, bookstore, cafe, or library.12. Read a poem at an open mic. It’s a great way to meet other writers in your area and find out about your local poetry writing community.13. Start a poetry reading group.14. Write an exquisite corpse poem with friends.15. Chalk a poem  on the sidewalk.16. Deepen your daily experience by reading Edward Hirsch’s essay “How to Read a Poem.”17. Ask the United States Post Office to issue more stamps celebrating poets.18. Recreate a poet’s favorite food or drink by following his or her recipe.19. Read about different poetic forms.20. Read about poems titled “poem.”21. Watch a poetry movie. 22. Subscribe to American Poets magazine or a small press poetry journal.23. Watch Rachel Eliza Griffiths’ s  P.O.P (Poets on Poetry)   videos.24. Watch or read Carolyn Forche’s talk “Not Persuasion, But Transport: The Poetry of Witness.”25. Read or listen to Mark Doty’s talk “Tide of Voices: Why Poetry Matters Now.”26. Celebrate Poem in Your Pocket Day today! The idea is simple: select a poem you love, carry it with you, then share it with coworkers, family, and

friends. 27. Read Allen Ginsberg’s classic essay about Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass.”28. Sign up for a poetry class or workshop.29. Get ready for Mother’s Day by making a card featuring a line of poetry.30. Read the first chapter of Muriel Rukeyer’s inspiring book The Life of Poetry.

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