National Poetry Month

April 2021 marks the 25th annual celebration of poets and poetry

Launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996, National Poetry Month reminds the public that poets have an integral role to play in our culture and that poetry matters. Over the years, it has become the largest literary celebration in the world, with tens of millions of readers, students, teachers K-college, librarians, families, and, of course, poets, marking poetry’s important place in our lives. In 2021, the National Writing Project (NWP) looks forward to celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of this annual celebration!

Each April, NWP offers activities, initiatives, and resources so that teachers and students everywhere can join in online and at home.

Things To Do

• Throughout the month, enjoy conversations with poets from NWP’s Writers Council in our short series “The Story of a Poem” (more info below).
• April 6 check out “Rhythm and Resistance” with award-winning author/NWP Writers Council member Renée Watson and Oregon Writing Project director Linda Christensen. They’ll talk about teaching and writing poetry, creating generative spaces for students to take risks as writers, and revising and grading poetry.
• Read blog posts about the connection, comfort, and joy that poetry can offer at Write Now, NWP’s publication at Medium.
• Follow the thousands of celebrations taking place on social media with the official hashtag #NationalPoetryMonth and follow the Academy of American Poets on Twitter at @POETSorg.
• Share a #pocketpoem on Poem in Your Pocket Day on April 29.
• Join the Academy of American Poets for its first-ever virtual Poetry & the Creative Mind gala on April 29.

The Story of a Poem

NWP Radio has launched a special limited series called “The Story of a Poem” where we interviewed poets from the NWP Writers Council about their poems, their composing processes, and writers’ craft.

Poet Patrice Vecchione

Poet t.l. sanders

Poet H.K. Hummel

Poet Shirley McPhillips

Poet Dan Zev Levinson

Poet George Ella Lyon

Other Resources

Reading and Teaching Guide for “The Hill We Climb” by Amanda Gorman Download this discussion guide for Amanda Gorman’s Inaugural poem which was written and developed by #DisruptTexts: Tricia Ebarvia, Lorena Germán, Dr. Kimbely N. Parker, and Julia Torres.

Poetry Inside Out See how students can interpret and dissect poems in other languages, helping them learn how to negotiate and compromise; celebrate classmates who might have personal insight into native cultures; and think bigger about the world in which they live.

Resources from write.learn.lead Find other resources curated by NWP teacher-leaders for teaching poetry in your class, whatever grade level you teach.

28 Ways to Teach and Learn About Poetry With The New York Times: Updated every year since 2017, there’s sure to be something for everyone in this collection.

Feature photo by Trust “Tru” Katsande on Unsplash