April is National Poetry Month, and it is also #NaPoWriMo, meaning you and I should be writing a poem a day for the entire month. I’ve done this before when I participated in the Tupelo Press 30/30.
Many thanks go to the Tupelo 30/30 for getting me started on what became Kin Types.
This month I plan to go it alone because I am not sure I can really handle a full dose this time–and tax month yet (I don’t think T.S. Eliot was thinking of that when he called April the cruelest month, but that is why I think of it that way).
I read through some articles like the following links and made a list for myself of goals for April.
- Broadway World (from 2018)
- Poets.org (from 2015)
- Make Use Of (from 2014)
- New York Times (from 2010)
So here is my list. It’s what works for me this year. Your list will be different (so go ahead and make one!).
- Create a personal poetry anthology on poets.org (I’ve already titled my anthology: THE MOST BESTEST POEMS IN THE UNIVERSE)
- Learn more about poets and poetry events in Arizona (poets.org list)
- Read Edward Hirsch’s essay (poets.org list)
Recreate a poet’s favorite food or drink (poets.org list)I struck out this item because there wasn’t enough choice on the website, so I’ll make my own kimchi fried rice- Read the first chapter of Muriel Rukeyser’s book The Life of Poetry (this will be a reread, but I can’t remember it as it’s been so long) (poets.org list)
- Search Twitter through #NationalPoetryMonth and #NaPoWriMo and #TMMPoetry (partially from Make Use Of)
- Write a poem a day (from Make Use Of and at least 3 magazines/presses that offer programs for April) But see below for some free daily prompts!!!
To find your free daily prompts try these sources:
They both can be followed on Twitter and/or Facebook, as well as their websites.
If you are more interested in PROSE writing prompts, here are a full month’s worth from Toasted Cheese.
I won’t be posting my daily poems here, but I will give you updates if I am doing ok at it. If I am not writing, you might hear radio silence.
Are you going to join me in celebrating poetry this month? In trying out #NaPoWriMo?
I hope nobody who ever has anything to do with the poster designs for National Poetry Month reads this, but I think they suck every year. Or maybe I should say they are not my idea of good poster art. Why oh why can’t they find something that knocks my socks off, or as Emily D. might say, that takes off the top of my head? The posters need to be WORTHY of poetry.
