“A good poem is a contribution to reality. The world is never the same once a good poem has been added to it. A good poem helps to change the shape of the universe, helps to extend everyone’s knowledge of himself and the world around him.” —Dylan Thomas
April is Poetry Month! Started in April 1996, National Poetry Month celebrates the art of poetry and the role that poets and poetry play in illuminating our history and our humanity – from the first recorded poem, The Epic of Gilgamesh, to The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman. So far this month, we have had fun promoting Poetry Month at the library with displays, the magnetic poetry board, and the “blackout” poetry activity. But we aren’t done!
Poem in Your Pocket Day is coming soon! Established in 2002, Poem in Your Pocket Day is celebrated in April, during National Poetry Month. The intention is to celebrate the beauty of poetry and the impact it has on our lives and communities. On Friday, April 29th, library proctors will be outside the chapel doors distributing short poems to students, faculty, and staff. Take a moment to read your poem and share with others throughout the day.
Mark your calendars! SPS is looking forward to welcoming our latest Conroy speaker, poet Tracy K. Smith, on May 5th.
And we wouldn’t be doing our job as librarians if we didn’t share our own favorite poems and poets! The wonderful thing about poetry is how it speaks to us, but speaks to each of us differently.
Some poems tell a story:
Ms. LaFlamme’s favorite is Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe:
For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.
Ms. Shaughnessy’s favorite is The Lady of Shalott by Alfred Tennyson
Willows whiten, aspens shiver.
The sunbeam showers break and quiver
In the stream that runneth ever
By the island in the river
Flowing down to Camelot.
Four gray walls, and four gray towers
Overlook a space of flowers,
And the silent isle imbowers
The Lady of Shalott.
Some poems capture a feeling:
Ms. Seymour’s favorite is Late Fragment by Raymond Carver:
And did you get what
you wanted from this life, even so?
I did.
And what did you want?
To call myself beloved, to feel myself
beloved on the earth.
Ms. Maxwell’s favorite is Poppies in October by Sylvia Plath
A gift, a love gift
Utterly unasked for
By a sky
Palely and flamily
Igniting its carbon monoxides, by eyes
Dulled to a halt under bowlers.
Some poems stir a memory:
Mrs. Kittler’s favorite is Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost:
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
Some poems make us see the world around us:
Ms. Rettig’s favorite is Wild Geese by Mary Oliver:
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
And some poetry might not be poetry at all. Words that move us can be found in unexpected places:
Ms. Parsi’s favorite is from Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
“I have dreamt in my life, dreams that have stayed with me ever after, and changed my ideas; they have gone through and through me, like wine through water, and altered the color of my mind.”
If you’d like to learn more about poetry, follow this link to check out the library’s wonderful collection of poetry books. Already a poetry lover? Then be sure to stop by the front desk and share your favorite poem or poet the next time you are in the library!
Happy Poetry Month!
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