Since 1996, April has been named National Poetry Month. It is the biggest literary celebration in the
entire world. National Poetry Month includes millions of readers, students, grade school teachers, book
authors, publishers, bloggers, event organizers, and librarians, all joining together to celebrate the
importance of poetry in our cultures and our lives.
The goals of National Poetry Month is to highlight the legacy and ongoing achievements of American
poets, encourage the reading of poems, work with educators to use poetry and poets as part of their
curriculum, increase poetry in the media, support the increase in the distribution of poetry books and
encourage support for poets and poetry.
Several schools across the nation use April as a time to educate students about classic poets like Maya
Angelou, Edgar Allen Poe, and Robert Frost – all American poets with great pieces of work that will
remain as timeless as their names.
The beauty of poetry is that it is for everyone. The popularity has evolved with the times, and poetry is
now a modern art for the brilliant artist. Nowadays, several urban cities take on competitive poetry
slams and open mics, allowing for poets to perform and compete with other poets. This is very popular
during National Poetry Month in April. In addition to these types of events, several media outlets
acknowledge National Poetry Month as a literary movement. Several broadcast stations, radio stations,
and print media cover it as a celebration of artistic expression.