by Katie Breece
April is National Poetry Month, and has been since 1996 when the Academy of American Poets inaugurated it. The goal of the Academy of American Poets was to “widen the attention of individuals and the media—to the art of poetry, to living poets, to our complex poetic heritage, and to poetry books and journals of wide aesthetic range and concern.” The academy chose April in order to play off of the success of Black History Month in February and Women’s History Month in March.
National Poetry Month can be celebrated in many ways; this year Poem in Your Pocket Day will be held on April 29th. On this day, everyone is encouraged to carry a poem they love in his or her pocket to share with friends, family and co-workers. The Academy of American Poets is also hosting a contest through its website, poets.org, in which entrants may submit a line from a poem displayed in an interesting way, such as written in the sand or on the sidewalk with chalk.
Since the first celebration of National Poetry Month in 1996, many have celebrated it in different ways. In 1998 the Academy of American Poets distributed 100,000 free books of poetry and President Clinton hosted a gala at the White House featuring multiple Poets Laureate. Each year the Academy of American Poets commissions a poster in honor of the celebration, of which almost 200,000 copies are distributed. National Poetry Month continues to promote and educate about current and past poetry today.