National Poem In Your Pocket Day

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.

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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.

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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".

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.

A Comfortable Spot

My big sister and I shared a room until she decided to go away to college. We used to get into trouble for talking and laughing when we were supposed to be sleeping. When we watched TV, we sat on the floor and leaned against the couch. My father worked shift work so my mom would sometimes take naps. If she was cooking or baking something, she would let us know when to check on it or wake her up. One night she forgot to do that. Vicki and I hit the floor as our mother awoke with a start, screamed "The Cake!" and came over our heads on the way to the kitchen. Vicki was the smart one and the creative one. I was the sports nut. I don't think I ever got her to understand what a first down is. She read Sherlock Holmes first, but I followed. That was the start of our love affair with mystery stories. A few years ago, she sent me a birthday card that said I had become cool. Even at my age, it made me smile that she thought that. Of course, she was still the coolest.

A Comfortable Spot

A comfortable spot
on a bit of a hill
or, perhaps, a knoll
Green grass

Almost in the
shadow of
a church
A children’s
playground
next door
history
all around
Your final
resting place
I wish you hadn’t
moved in so soon

Pinking

You never know what might happen on a morning walk. I remember being disappointed that the sunrise wasn't very colorful on this particular morning. When I turned back to the west to head home the following happened.

Pinking

Did I just see the clouds turn pink?
I haven’t even had a drink!

I’m sure that they were white and gray,

just like any other day.

But, then, they began to glow.

The change wasn’t even slow.

The clouds turned pink before my eyes.

The work of an artist called Sunrise.

Hard to Hear

The third Sunday of every month, a group meets at The Writers Place and discusses a different writer. This month's subject was Anne Sexton. The first time I did a search of her name, I found the following quote:

"Put your ear down close to your soul and listen hard."

Today's post was inspired by that quote. The writing process was facilitated by some awesome singers and musicians I went to hear on St. Patrick's Day.

Hard to Hear

Listen close to your soul.
You can hear a voice
of perfect pitch
and soothing tone.
It speaks to
your every need.
Encourages your
wildest dreams.
Reveals your
deepest beliefs.
Listen hard, and
if you do;
you will hear the voice
that is truly you.