April is National Poetry Month.
This year’s theme from the Canadian League of Poets is joy.
What are some things that bring you joy?
The Canadian League of Poets website had this poem posted on its website for inspiration:
joy is. reading by a window with a soft blanket. an old plant with a new bloom. a completed to-do-list. the first big snowfall. banana bread in the oven. the squeak of sand under bare feet. a cat purring on my lap. finding the perfect GIF to send to the groupchat. a hot cup of coffee. filling the page with unplanned words. freshly painted nails. still and quiet moments of solitude, when all there is to do is rest. cold, crisp mornings. the careful turn of an old book’s pages. a fresh bowl of ramen. feeling blessed and loved. setting a personal best. my favourite pair of sneakers. planting vegetables in the garden. sitting on the couch doing nothing, partner on one side, dog on the other. the crack of a home run. a warm cup of milky Earl Grey. a sunset from a plane window.
I have always liked poetry. I remember every spring being happy to present poems in elementary school at our annual Poetry Festival, reciting some of my own quirky pieces and ones by well-known poets like Shel Silverstein and Robert Frost.
I used to think poems always had to rhyme, but I have since learned there is a whole world of poetry out there that doesn’t necessarily have to rhyme or follow any format for that matter.
Poetry is an expression of the heart. It’s an art. It feels like reading someone’s diary every time I read a poem. It’s a little peek into the writer’s soul.
If you’re not great at creating poems, you can still appreciate and share the works of others to express yourself, like how Mr. Big did in the Sex and the City movie after standing Carrie up at the altar. For a year, Mr. Big sent Carrie dozens of poems by famous poets via email as a way of apologizing and expressing his feelings of love for her. In the end, he did end up writing one short and sweet one of his own. And that is what makes it more special.
Whether you’re a seasoned poet or new to the scene, there are plenty of ways to get involved and embrace National Poetry Month.
This past week, we held our Words with Family poetry event, where children and their families came by to read and write poetry together. Sharing fun poems with kids is great to get them to expand their vocabulary.
I recently borrowed the book, Chester Van Chime Who Forgot How to Rhyme, by Avery Monsen, for my son, who is in kindergarten and is on a rhyming kick.
It’s about a young boy who loses his ability to rhyme and enlists the help of his classmates and friends to get it back. Together, we share a few giggles as we read it each night, as he tries to guess all the rhyming words Chester fails to remember.
That’s the thing about poetry. It’s meant to be shared and enjoyed together. Like a treat.
If you want to share your poetry with us, we invite all residents to pop by the library this Sunday, April 16, from 2 to 4 p.m., for the BWG Music and Poetry Circle to perform a song, recite a poem, or play an instrument.
The library hosts the circle once a month and encourages performers of all ages and skill levels to share their work.
If you’re not big on writing poetry but enjoy reading it, April 28 is Poem in Your Pocket Day. The day encourages everyone to pick a poem, carry it with them and share it with others throughout the day.
Which poem will you choose?
Get some ideas at the library, where we have a vast collection of poetry to be browsed and borrowed.
One book I found while browsing the stacks is Spine Poems: An Eclectic Collection of Found Verse for Book Lovers.
The author, former bookseller Annette Dauphin Simon, has curated colourful photographs of book spines with the titles stacked on top of one another to create one-of-a-kind poems. It’s not only unique and interesting, but bright and beautiful and would make for a great coffee table book.
Do you have a fun poem to share? Use #NPM23 to join the conversation. Or tag us on social media @bwglibrary. We’d love to see them.
To learn more about National Poetry Month, visit here.
’Til next week, happy reading.
Natasha Philpott is the marketing and communications co-ordinator at the Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library.
