It’s April and the world is bursting with poems. National Poetry Month is here with 30 days of fever, fervor, pressure and pleasure.
It’s like prom for poets. Everyone trying hard to have fun. Already, I’ve attended two poetry readings and a writing workshop. I’m both dizzy and delighted.
Launched in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets, National Poetry Month is celebrating its 30th anniversary with special literary activities and events in communities across the country.
Here’s how you’ll find me spreading poetry cheer:
Poem in Your Pocket Day
The idea is simple: select a poem you love (or write your own), carry it with you, then share it with family, friends, neighbors, and strangers. This year, Poem in Your Pocket Day is on April 30, 2026.
Put Poems in Unexpected Places
Some of my favorite spots: bathroom stalls, community bulletin boards, slipped between pages of library books. A friend hangs poems from tree branches. Another places them in shopping carts.
Write a Letter to a Poet
Have a favorite poet? Or a book of poems you love? Write a letter to the author expressing your appreciation.
Memorize a Poem
Copying or reciting a poem — my own or another’s— helps me experience a poem more deeply. With the concentration repetition requires, I more fully “wear” the poem and feel its cadence and language.
Find (Unexpected) Poems
Found poetry is waiting for you to discover its beauty. Write a Blackout Poem, a Headline Poem, or patch together a Cut-Up Poem.
Register Now for Poetry Postcard Fest
This annual event is a fun way to write & receive postcard-sized poems from writers across the nation. The exchange begins in July.
There’s no shortage of ways to celebrate this month: attend a reading, join a writing group (or start one), buy (or borrow) a book of poems, or . . . write a poem (or 30)!
“I want a passion that grows and grows,” writes U.S. Poet Laureate Arthur Sze, the first Asian American to serve in the role. “To feel, think, act, and be defined by your actions, thoughts, feelings.”
And you — what poetic action will you take this month?
