This April, Celebrate 25 Years of National Poetry Month!

Launched in April of 1996 by the American Academy of Poets, National Poetry Month reminds us that poets have an integral role to play in our culture. In 2021 the importance of poetry can perhaps be seen by Amanda Gorman, the first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate of the United States, who was also the first poet ever commissioned to write a poem to be delivered at a Super Bowl. Whether you've been interested in poetry all your life or have been recently inspired by poets such as Gorman, there is a host of events and websites to help you celebrate. Below you'll find virtual events from our library and other sources, booklists that link to our catalog, and other links of interest.

Poetry Month Events at the Worcester Public Library

A Writing Workshop with Worcester's Poets Laureate

Wednesday, April 14, 7-8pm

Join the City of Worcester’s Poets Laureate Juan Matos and Amina Mohammed for a Poetry Writing Workshop! Experienced poets and novices, teens and adults alike are invited to join this virtual workshop and hear the experiences of the Poets Laureate, who will share some of their works and guide attendees through creating their own poetry. In celebration of National Poetry Month, this Poetry Writing Workshop is hosted in partnership between the Worcester Public Library and the City of Worcester’s Cultural Development Division. For ages 16+.

Juan Matos earned a Master's Degree in bilingual education at Worcester State University and went on to teach Spanish Literature and ESL for 32 years, the last 22 of which in Worcester Public Schools. During this time he wrote and published 12 poetry books and anthologies, took part in local and international literary festivals and founded several literary groups and workshops.

Youth Poet Laureate Amina Mohammed grew up in Worcester's Main South neighborhood, the daughter of an immigrant family. Her parents worked long hours to provide for her and her siblings with considerable support from neighbors. Mohammad is the first Youth Poet Laureate in the state of Massachusetts.

Register for the workshop with this link.

Sisters Outsider: A Virtual Panel of Black Women Creating Poetry 

Wednesday, April 21, 7-8pm

Worcester Public Library invites you to an evening of Black women creating poetry, inspired by Audre Lord's book Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches. Expect great verse and conversation with poets Rush Frazier, Tina Gaffney, Amina Mohammed, Xaulanda Thorpe, and Ashley Wonder.

Read more about the poets and register to attend with this link.

Looking for even more poetry events? Visit the websites for the Worcester County Poetry Association and Mass Poetry for local and statewide calendars.

Poetry Booklists

Best Poetry Collections of 2020: This list contains some of the best poetry collections that were published in 2020 according to The Guardian, LitHub, and The Washington Post.

Most Anticipated Poetry for 2021: The poetry collections in this list are highly anticipated for 2021 (so far).

Staff Picks: Poetry Writing Guides: Whether you're new to writing poetry or a seasoned pro, these books offer advice and inspiration to poets of many levels.

Voices of the Poets: This list of downloadable audiobooks features poetry read by the poets who wrote it.

And don't forget our library carries Poetry: A Magazine of Verse and Poets & Writers magazine. They're both great resources!

Other Links of Interest

Poem-a-Day: Want some guidance or variety in your poetry reading? Check out Poem-a-Day at Poets.Org, where there's a new poem every day in both text and audio. You can even sign up to have the daily poems sent straight to your inbox.

Poem in Your Pocket Day: This year Poem in Your Pocket Day takes place on April 29th. Poets.Org has suggestions on how to celebrate.

Poetry and Racial Justice and Equality: From the Poetry Foundation. The poems gathered here document struggles for dignity and justice; they praise political heroes; they express pride, frustration, and rage. They call for action and accountability, sometimes loudly yet always compellingly. They promote positive identities and self-esteem and make a claim for the sanctity of all humans.