April may be best known for jokes and showers, but it also is a month in which two art forms are highlighted. April is both National Poetry Month and Jazz Appreciation Month.
National Poetry Month was started by the American Academy of Poets 17 years ago. It is a time to celebrate poetry and the place it has played and continues to play in our culture. Individuals and organizations are encouraged to celebrate.
Click here for some suggestions from the Academy. One of the suggestions that jumped out at me is "Take a Poem Out to Lunch". Of course my first thought was "or, you could take a poet out to lunch!"
Here in the Kansas City metropolitan area, we are fortunate to have a Poem-a-Day Program sponsored by the Johnson County Library. Go to the library's homepage beginning April 1 and there will be a link to the program. Poems are posted everyday in April and archived on the site. If you go to the archive, you also will see poems from previous years. The poems for this program are supplied by The Writers Place.
The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History has led the Jazz Appreciation Month initiative. The purpose is to learn more about jazz history and the current jazz scene in our country.
Click here for some suggestions on how to celebrate JAM. This is not on the list, but I think in fairness I have to suggest that you take jazz or a jazz performer out to lunch!
One suggestion is to visit a jazz city or museum. Of course, I am going to suggest Kansas City. By visiting the American Jazz Museum and The Blue Room, you can learn about jazz history and hear contemporary performers.
I hope you will take some time in April to explore both poetry and jazz. It will be both a fun and enriching experience.
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Thursday, March 28, 2013
Spotlight on Poetry and Jazz
Labels:
American Academy of Poets,
Jazz Appreciation Month,
Michelle Pond,
National Poetry Month,
Smithsonian Jazz
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.
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What a great excuse to not only write poetry but also dust off my favorite Jazz! I just bought a 2-disc compilation set of Miles Davis that I have yet to open (it just ... looks so glorious in its case!), but now I have a great reason to get over it and start listening! Thanks for sharing, Michelle!! :D
ReplyDeleteYou know it is going to sound even better than it looks!
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