National Poetry Day, a project of the Forward Arts
Foundation in London (http://www.forwardartsfoundation.org/), was founded by William Sieghart in 1994. Since
then, it has flown across the ocean to the United States (although we still
celebrate April as National Poetry Month). Our cousins across the pond have a
special theme for National Poetry Day – the theme for this year is “water.”
Today, October 3, is
National Poetry Day. Here are some ways you can celebrate:
·
Listen to Prince Charles read “Fern Hill” by
Dylan Thomas at http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/434045/LISTEN-Prince-Charles-recites-Dylan-Thomas-poem-for-National-Poetry-Day
as part of his celebration of National Poetry Day.
·
Read poems to a child or group of children.
·
Slip a poem into a lunch box, briefcase, or book
bag.
·
Hide a love poem in your sweetheart’s shoe,
under his or her pillow or coffee cup.
·
Sign up to receive poems in your email from one
of the following: http://yourdailypoem.com/, http://www.poets.org/,
http://www.ayearofbeinghere.com/
or http://www.rattle.com/poetry/
·
Host a poetry breakfast, lunch, dinner or party;
invite each guest to bring one or more poems to read. You can do this in your
home, or invite friends to meet at a restaurant or coffee shop to share poems.
·
Write a poem about water.
·
Call a friend or relative you haven’t seen for a
while and read a poem to him or her.
·
Email a poem (one you wrote, or one someone else
wrote that you love) to several friends.
·
Check two books of poetry out of your public
library – one of classical poetry and one of contemporary poetry. Look for
poems in the two books that express similar ideas.
·
Print out a bunch of copies of a short poem.
Carry them with you and give them away to the people you meet. Or put them in a
small basket near the cash register at a restaurant or boutique store willing
to give them away.
·
Tape a poem on the wall of a store.
·
Memorize a poem.
·
Purchase a book of poetry.
·
Follow links on this blog and read or listen to
poems you find as a result.
·
Write a parody of a famous poem and enter the
October Poetry Challenge on this blog (see previous post).
Wilda Morris
