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National Poetry Day Calls for Celebration

October 7 marks National Poetry Day, a great time to celebrate the value we all receive from poetry. In 2018, the National Endowment for the Arts conducted a survey of public participation in the arts. Their results indicated that 12% of adults had read poetry in the previous year. While that’s hardly a huge number, it’s more than double the number from the decade prior. 

A common complaint about poetry is that it’s taught by carving them into elements – tone, speaker, language, and more. While that has value from a didactic perspective, as one author wrote, “poems are not cadavers.” They must be understood with all elements brought together equally – language, imagery, structure, and the totality of its parts matter infinitely more. For many students, once a poem is broken into its constituent parts, it’s hard to see it holistically. 

The rhythm of poetry plays with our normal speech rhythms and linear thought processes in a way that’s meant to “illuminate our lives and breathe new life, new seeing, new tasting into the world we thought we knew,” according to poet Roger Housden. 

Should you feel so inclined to celebrate National Poetry Day, here are some fun ideas on how to celebrate. 

Read a Poem

Have you checked out our selection of literature and poetry in our catalog? You might find something new and unique, or something old and treasured. 

Write a Poem

Not everyone in the world can write a book, a novel, or an anthology. However, just about anyone can write a poem. Whether it’s a sonnet, a haiku, a cinquain, a limerick, or an elegy, the relative freedom of the narrative structure in a poem means that it is an achievable goal for many of us. 

Share a Poem

Use the #nationalpoetryday hashtag and share a favorite poem with your friends and followers. 

Bring Poetry into the Workplace

We know that not every workplace is necessarily conducive to impromptu poetry readings, but fostering a spirit of reading, literature, poetry, and words can bring enormous value to your organization. Poetry not for you? Try one of our other categories – like our extensive collection of business books

Regardless of how you choose to celebrate National Poetry Day, it’s fun to consider the importance poetry has in our lives. Think back on favorite poems you have and share them with others. For more information on National Poetry Day, check out this website. For more ways to bring the gift of poetry and language into your workplace, store, or business, check out our collections

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