Today is National Poem in Your Pocket Day. This day was created in 2002 in New York City as part of the city's celebration of National Poetry Month. In 2009, the Academy of American Poets promoted the idea nationally.
The idea is simply to share poetry. Print out or write out your favorite poem, make copies and hand them out throughout the day. The Johnson County (Kansas) Library, which partners with The Writers Place to post a Poem-A-Day in April, prints bookmarks with those same poems for Poem In Your Pocket Day. Or, if you prefer to take advantage of today's technology, text, tweet, email or post your favorites. And, don't forget the art of spoken word.
See if there are any special celebrations in your area. Most importantly, share some words you love today.
Here is Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken", read by the poet himself.
****
Subcribe to email updates of this blog by clicking on the link on the top right.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
National Poem In Your Pocket Day
I am a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the early 1970's and was assigned to the Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA. I have published a chapbook of grief poems, I Keep You with Me. My work also has appeared in publications such as Thorny Locust Magazine, core. zine,The Enigmatist, Veterans' Voices and Kansas Time + Place An Anthology of Heartland Poetry. My visual art pieces combine poetry and photographs, and have been most recently displayed at InterUrban ArtHouse, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, Buttonwood Art Space, and The Smalter Gallery.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Ekphrastic Poetry
I enjoy writing ekphrastic poetry; poetry that is inspired by visual art. On one of my morning walks, I took the photograph below and then wrote the poem that follows.
Color My Day
Color my day
as expansive as
a clear blue sky
as alive as
the green trees
as gentle as
a pink rose
as rich as
the golden sun
Color my day
brilliantly.
Try writing an ekphrastic poem. Find a painting, photograph, sculpture or other piece of visual art that intrigues you and see what you are inspired to write. The piece may be in a museum, a park or even in your own home. You may be drawn to describe the work, focus on a few elements of it or even have a conversation with the artist.
I hope you find that writing ekphrastic poetry enhances both your writing and your enjoyment of the art.
*******
Subscribe to email updates of this blog by going to the link at the top of the right-hand column.
Color My Day
Color my day
as expansive as
a clear blue sky
as alive as
the green trees
as gentle as
a pink rose
as rich as
the golden sun
Color my day
brilliantly.
Try writing an ekphrastic poem. Find a painting, photograph, sculpture or other piece of visual art that intrigues you and see what you are inspired to write. The piece may be in a museum, a park or even in your own home. You may be drawn to describe the work, focus on a few elements of it or even have a conversation with the artist.
I hope you find that writing ekphrastic poetry enhances both your writing and your enjoyment of the art.
*******
Subscribe to email updates of this blog by going to the link at the top of the right-hand column.
I am a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the early 1970's and was assigned to the Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA. I have published a chapbook of grief poems, I Keep You with Me. My work also has appeared in publications such as Thorny Locust Magazine, core. zine,The Enigmatist, Veterans' Voices and Kansas Time + Place An Anthology of Heartland Poetry. My visual art pieces combine poetry and photographs, and have been most recently displayed at InterUrban ArtHouse, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, Buttonwood Art Space, and The Smalter Gallery.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Poetry and Jazz
In addition to being National Poetry Month, April also is Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM). JAM is an initiative of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. It is intended to draw attention to both jazz history and jazz today and encourage jazz programming throughout the month.
Jazz and poetry have a special relationship. I was fortunate to have been introduced to jazz poetry through a workshop offered by The Writers Place. Glenn North of the American Jazz Museum was the facilitator.
Music Bath
Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons, and you will find that it is to the soul what the water bath is to the body.-Oliver Wendell Holmes
Notes flow from speakers
dripping or gushing on demand.
Beats band into bars
and 12 bars become the blues.
Riffs repeat. Riffs repeat.
Tones tantalize and turn into
the simultaneous sounds
that are harmony.
Song stylists sing soulfully.
Total immersion is achieved.
Learn more about Jazz Appreciation Month by going to Smithsonian Jazz
You also might be interested in "A Brief Guide to Jazz Poetry".
Jazz and poetry have a special relationship. I was fortunate to have been introduced to jazz poetry through a workshop offered by The Writers Place. Glenn North of the American Jazz Museum was the facilitator.
Music Bath
Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons, and you will find that it is to the soul what the water bath is to the body.-Oliver Wendell Holmes
Notes flow from speakers
dripping or gushing on demand.
Beats band into bars
and 12 bars become the blues.
Riffs repeat. Riffs repeat.
Tones tantalize and turn into
the simultaneous sounds
that are harmony.
Song stylists sing soulfully.
Total immersion is achieved.
Learn more about Jazz Appreciation Month by going to Smithsonian Jazz
You also might be interested in "A Brief Guide to Jazz Poetry".
I am a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the early 1970's and was assigned to the Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA. I have published a chapbook of grief poems, I Keep You with Me. My work also has appeared in publications such as Thorny Locust Magazine, core. zine,The Enigmatist, Veterans' Voices and Kansas Time + Place An Anthology of Heartland Poetry. My visual art pieces combine poetry and photographs, and have been most recently displayed at InterUrban ArtHouse, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, Buttonwood Art Space, and The Smalter Gallery.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
National Poetry Month
April is National Poetry Month. Click here to learn more about National Poetry Month and the role of the Academy of American Poets in this initiative.
Locally, the Johnson County (KS) Library partners with The Writers Place to post a Poem-a-Day in April in honor of National Poetry Month. One poem is featured each day then archived on the site. Go to www.jocolibrary.org and click on the National Poetry Month link to see the featured poem. Click "more" on that page to go to the archive to see the poems that already have been featured this month and those from previous years.
I hope you will return to the site often.
Locally, the Johnson County (KS) Library partners with The Writers Place to post a Poem-a-Day in April in honor of National Poetry Month. One poem is featured each day then archived on the site. Go to www.jocolibrary.org and click on the National Poetry Month link to see the featured poem. Click "more" on that page to go to the archive to see the poems that already have been featured this month and those from previous years.
I hope you will return to the site often.
I am a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the early 1970's and was assigned to the Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA. I have published a chapbook of grief poems, I Keep You with Me. My work also has appeared in publications such as Thorny Locust Magazine, core. zine,The Enigmatist, Veterans' Voices and Kansas Time + Place An Anthology of Heartland Poetry. My visual art pieces combine poetry and photographs, and have been most recently displayed at InterUrban ArtHouse, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, Buttonwood Art Space, and The Smalter Gallery.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)