The beginning of April is just days away and with it comes National Poetry Month. Do you do anything special, poetry-wise, to celebrate it? If you don’t and would like to, here are five suggestions:
1. Read a poem a day
Lots of sites post a new poem every day of the year. Some post daily poems just during April. Give these a try (note that many give you the option of subscribing, that is, having the poem delivered to you by email daily):
- GottaBook– “30 Days, 30 Poets” – Thirty contemporary children’s poets share poems each day of April on Greg K’s blog GottaBook.
2. Write a poem a day
Several sites provide daily poetry-writing prompts through April. Check out:
- Poetic Asides (daily prompts beginning April 1st; weekly prompts every Wednesday).
- Adele Kenny’s The Music In It blog (a prompt for every day in April coming April 1st; a weekly prompt every Saturday)
3. Start your own poetry blog
If you like writing poems and would like to share them with the world, sign up and start blogging for free at:
wordpress.com
blogger.com
4. Buy a poetry book
Search your favourite poet on any book-buying site. Many poetry books are now also available for e-readers if that’s what you prefer (though I must say, as much as I love my Kindle, I still prefer reading poetry books in hard copy).
5. Attend a poetry event or reading
Consider this your invitation to ours—the MSA PPS Blue Moon Reading on Monday, April 8th.
- Bring a poem or two to share during the Open Mic segment.
- Enjoy our special guest, Robert Martens, whose chapbook poltergeist was shortlisted in the 2012 bpNichol award.
Robert Martens – reading an an MSA PPS Blue Moon night in June 2011
Robert Martens
Robert Martens was raised in an ethnic Mennonite community, then time travelled to the years of student revolt at Simon Fraser University. Since then he’s tried to vainly address those contradictions in his poetry. Robert now lives in Abbotsford, where he writes for the periodical of the Mennonite Historical Society. He remains baffled as to how his chapbook, “poltergeist”, was shortlisted for the bpNichol award last year. Perhaps it was—as poetry always is—an act of God.
MSA PPS Blue Moon Reading
April 8, 2013
6:30 − 8:30 p.m.
Clearbrook Library Meeting Room
32320 George Ferguson Way
Abbotsford, B.C.
All are welcome to attend this free event. Hope to see you there!
And here’s wishing all a poetic April—however you spend it.
Fraser Valley Poets Society 