Herm Card is the City Eagle's roving street reporter and photographer as well as the Eagle's Poetry Editor.
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He is an English teacher, poet, educational consultant, and motivational speaker. He has been a college baseball player and coach, military officer, tournament squash player and NCAA baseball umpire. He is also a Museum Educator at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and co-editor of the academic journal, "The English Record."
So, now that it is National Poetry Month, what do we do about it?
hcard, Sat, April 4th, 2009
We are celebrating National Poetry Month, created by the Academy of American Poets in 1996.
Although we should celebrate poetry all year, this month provides us an opportunity to focus on it. April, a month by nature no more poetic than any other, does provide a transition from one season to another, as poetry my provide a transition from one sense to another, from one awareness to another, from one mood to another. Or, since many times a cigar is just a cigar or a rose, a rose (and a rose) poetry is just poetry – which is good enough for us to celebrate.
As with any celebration, we look for a means to do just that, so here are some suggestions for what we might do – some are probably things we already do, others might be new and worth a try.
· Find a poetry reading to attend. Take along some of your own work in case there is an open mic part to it. Don’t even think about whether or not you are obligated to read – you’ll know when it’s time.
· Write something poetic – don’t worry if it doesn’t seem finished or polished or “good” or anything that fits standard expectations. Just be pleased that it IS.
· Go to a bookstore, buy some coffee, get a stack of poetry books, and read one or two from every one.
· Send some lines from a favorite poem to us at The City Eagle (eaglepoetry@aol.com) and tell us why you like them.
· Invite some friends over for coffee and poetry. Don’t worry about finding people who are “poets,” just find people who are friends. The “poet” part takes care of itself.
· Look in a loved one’s eyes and read the poetry that is there.
· Pull out that old notebook with those poems you wrote that “aren’t very good.” Change your opinion of them. (Then send one or more to us at eaglepoetry@aol.com.
· Have a poetry tailgate party. (send us a picture at eaglepoetry@aol.com.)
· Make T-shirts with your favorite poetry on them. (Wear them to the poetry tailgate party, then send us a picture at eaglepoetry@aol.com.
· Memorize a poem – recite it whenever it seems to fit – and when it doesn’t as well.
· Think of all the reasons you might not like poetry and consider why you might be wrong.
· Combine a photo of a friend (or other loved one) with a poem about them (or a poem that could be about them)
· Decorate your house with poetry.
· Decorate your house like a poem. (send us a picture at eaglepoetry@aol.com.)
· Check out this website for many more ideas: http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/41
· CELEBRATE POETRY in whatever way works for you.
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And let's not forget a poem in your pocket!
April is National Poetry Month and April 30 is Poem in Your Pocket Day, a day to carry a favorite poem to share with anyone you might want. Like last year, we want you to share your favorite short poems or favorite lines of poetry with us.
Send your favorite words of poetry (written by someone else) to us at eaglepoetry@aol.com and tell us, in a few words, why they are so important to you.
