It’s National Poetry Month!

Guest blogger Pat Stanford is the author of two double-gold-medal -winning poetry books: Proverbs of My Seasons: Poetry of Transition (DocUmeant Publishing 2019) and A Motley Miscellany: Misfit Poems That Fit Together (DocUmeant Publishing 2020). She is a board member and former president of Florida Authors and Publishers Association.

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It’s National Poetry Month!

Do you read poetry? If not, why not? Reasons to read it can include learning something new about a place or a person, especially the poet; learning how to express something that may never have been expressed that way before; or learning that a poet can find ways to see the beauty in things when we can’t.

One of my poetry groups meets twice a month via Zoom (although they have been threatening to go back to in-person meetings). Well-known poets are chosen by the group members, and one of us does research on the poet. On the first Monday of each month, the member who did the research tells the group about that poet. And then everyone shares their favorite poem by that poet.  

On the third Monday of the month, we write poems after being given themes, but being rebel poets, we sometimes do not do the theme. As long as we are actively trying to write poetry, it’s all good.   

I wonder if going to a reading would inspire more interest in reading poetry. But now we are still dealing with covid-related illness and the threat of more isolation. For me this means I will turn to more to poetry to read.  Or to write. But I look forward to doing readings again.

If you write poetry, do you read other poets’ work? Many do not. Why not? Are they jealous that someone else’s work might eclipse their own? Or do they think it is not interesting or relevant to what they are writing?

At signing events, I get people at my table who say, “Oh…poetry. I don’t understand poetry.” I tell them, “I mainly write for fun, and you will understand mine. I don’t write confusing, pretentious, and boring poems.” I’ll open the book, turn to any one of my poems, and hand the book to the person who needs fun poetry.

Here’s an example: I call this one “Geezer.”

I had a thought, it went away.

I had a wake for it today.

It came, it went; I could not recall

what I had thought before at all.

I mourn this thought as though a friend –

so many thoughts have found such an end.

If you are over 50, you are probably either laughing or at least nodding your head knowingly. And laughter is always good. I wrote that two years ago during National Poetry Month. I was challenged by the above poetry group to write a poem every day. And I did. I think I was the only one who did!

So, do yourself a favor this month, which happens to be National Poetry Month. Read some poetry. Better yet, try to write some!