Celebrate National Poetry Month

As April quickly approaches, the Academy of American Poets (AAP) is gearing up for National Poetry Month, an annual event that unites publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, schools, and poets in a celebration of the value of poetry and its vital place in American culture.

“The Academy of American Poets encourages a year-round, life-long appreciation of poetry,” said Beth Harrison, interim director of the Academy of American Poets. “Those of us immersed in the art of poetry engage with it -- through reading, writing, listening, and discussing -- on a daily basis. Putting a focused spotlight on poetry during April gives those who might not otherwise think about this particular art form a chance to experience it and appreciate its cultural significance.”

Poetry has gained more recognition from schools and the mainstream media since National Poetry Month was established in 1996, said Harrison.

On Poets.org, the AAP lists 30 ways to celebrate, as well as several suggestions specifically for booksellers to market, merchandise, and plan poetry events for April. To promote National Poetry Month on Twitter, booksellers can use the hashtag #NPM12.

Another easy way to participate is to display the official National Poetry Month poster, which was included in the February Red Box mailing to all ABA member stores. Stores that did not receive the poster can sign up to receive one for free, or download the PDF from the Poetry Month website. The AAP also offers special promotional opportunities for stores that become official National Poetry Month sponsors.

Many of the marketing and event suggestions came directly from bookseller feedback in previous years, said Stacy Lasner, publicity and outreach coordinator for the AAP, who noted that stores will often display new spring books or books by recent poetry prize winners, create shelf-talkers, hand out poems, host readings or conversations with poets, or sponsor a community poetry contest.

“Stores are always impressing us with their creative ideas for National Poetry Month,” said Lasner. Among the past events she recalled: Books & Books in Coral Gables, Florida, put together a program where locals wrote poems about meals they had eaten at local restaurants. The restaurants created special menus highlighting the poets’ meals, and diners received a copy of the poem with their order. And another year, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi, posted a different poem in their window every day in April, which yielded a poetry sales increase of 25 - 30 percent for the month.

AAP has designated April 26 as “Poem in Your Pocket Day.” Participants are encouraged to select a poem they love to carry with them throughout the day and share it with the people in their lives. Poems can be shared on Twitter by using the hashtag #pocketpoem. A one-sheet with more information about Poem in Your Pocket was also included in February's Red Box.