April is Poetry month! Poetry can feel indimidating, or serious, or sad. Some people think that poetry needs to rhyme or include many versions of "thee" or "thou". Not to fear! If you're interested in learning about adding a little poetry to your life but you're not sure where to start, check out our top four tips for adding a little bit of poetry to your life.
1, Start With Some Classic Favourites
There are many classic poetry books, and BookRiot has compiled a list of what they call "gateway poets" which could be a great way to read your first poetry book! Markham Public Library has a great list compiled by our staff for national poetry month that includes titles from Rupi Kaur, Amanda Lovelace, Leonard Cohen and more!
2, Try a Fun Activity Like Blackout Poetry
What is blackout poetry? Follow some instructions from Arapahoe Libraries. Blackout poetry involves taking a page from a book, any book, and using a black sharpie to black out all the words except for the ones you want to use in your poem. Check out the Markham Public Library book sale at your local branch for some books that may help you do your blackout poems
3, Listen to a Podcast
Listening to poetry being led aloud can help us understand how the author intended for poems to be expressed and how poetry flows. The New Yorker Poetry Podcast publishes infrequently, but includes both reading and discussion of poetry featured in the magazine. If you are interested in hearing poetry of all types read aloud more frequently, the Poetry Foundation has an Audio Poem of the Day podcast
4, Write your own poem
Writing poetry is a great way to engage with language words, and your thoughts! Poetry may seem intimidating but there are many exercised to help you. Masterclass has a whole list of writing exercises to do with setting, exploring your surroundings, and exploring literary devices. None of those exercises strike you? Read Poetry has excellent ideas as well, including making an alliteration list.
Poetry month is a wonderful time to explore an exciting form of writing that has stirred the hearts through many centuries. Leave us a comment if you enjoyed any of our suggestions!
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