Inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, National Poetry Month is now held every April, when schools, publishers, libraries, booksellers, and poets throughout the United States band together to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture. Thousands of organizations participate through readings, festivals, book displays, workshops, and other events.
Along with distributing more than 40,000 posters to schools, libraries, and individuals around the country to celebrate National Poetry Month, our signature education project, Dear Poet, helps teachers and students engage with the art of poetry. Scroll down to learn more through our frequently asked questions section, or click below to learn more about how to get involved.
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National Poetry Month Frequently Asked Questions
What is National Poetry Month?
National Poetry Month is the largest literary celebration in the world, with tens of millions of readers, students, K–12 teachers, librarians, booksellers, literary events curators, publishers, bloggers, and—of course—poets marking poetry’s important place in our culture and our lives every April.
Who started it?
Inspired by the successful celebrations of Black History Month (February) and Women's History Month (March), the Academy of American Poets established National Poetry Month in 1996. Along the way the organization enlisted a variety of government agencies and officials, educational leaders, publishers, sponsors, poets, and arts organizations to help. National Poetry Month is a registered trademark of the Academy of American Poets.
Why was April chosen for National Poetry Month?
In coordination with poets, booksellers, librarians, and teachers, the Academy of American Poets chose a month when poetry could be celebrated with the highest level of participation. April seemed the best time within the year to turn attention toward the art of poetry, in an ultimate effort to encourage poetry readership year-round.
What are the goals of National Poetry Month?
- highlight the extraordinary legacy and ongoing achievement of American poets
- encourage the reading of poems
- assist teachers in bringing poetry into their classrooms
- increase the attention paid to poetry by national and local media
- encourage increased publication and distribution of poetry books, and
- encourage support for poets and poetry.
Shouldn't we celebrate poetry all year-round, not just in April?
By all means, yes! The Academy of American Poets encourages the year-round, lifelong reading of poetry. National Poetry Month is just one of the many programs of the Academy of American Poets. To keep the celebration going, consider becoming a member, which entitles you to special benefits throughout the year. You can also sign up for Poem-a-Day to receive free daily poems by email all year long.
Do organizations need permission to participate?
No, just as you don't need anyone's permission to celebrate Black History Month or Women's History Month. The Academy of American Poets encourages you to use the official National Poetry Month logo, which can be downloaded here.
What can I do to celebrate NPM?
There are thousands of ways to celebrate. The Academy of American Poets has developed a list of 30 to get you started—one for every day in April.
How can teachers become more involved?
In addition to participating in the Dear Poet project with students, teachers can find free poetry lesson plans and curriculum units on Poets.org. The Academy of American Poets also provides a National Poetry Month tip sheet for teachers, including ideas and success stories from past years. If you're a teacher with a success story you'd like to share, email us and we may post your story on Poets.org. Teachers can also sign up for our monthly Educator Newsletter and our weekly Teach This Poem newsletter.
How can librarians become more involved?
The Academy of American Poets provides a National Poetry Month tip sheet for librarians, including ideas for book displays, programs and discussions, collection development, outreach, and marketing, as well as success stories from past years. If you're a librarian with a success story you'd like to share, email us and we may post your story on Poets.org.
How can I obtain a copy of the National Poetry Month poster?
To request your free copy of the poster, use the online order form.
How can I support National Poetry Month?
If you’re able to support our efforts, please consider a donation to the Academy of American Poets. Contributions from poetry lovers like you help us send posters to tens of thousands of teachers, librarians, booksellers, and event organizers.
How does the Academy of American Poets celebrate National Poetry Month?
Each April, the Academy of American Poets celebrates National Poetry Month in the following ways.
Dear Poet Project
We offer the Dear Poet project to help teachers and students engage with the art of poetry in a meaningful way.
National Poetry Month Poster
We commission an artist to create an official National Poetry Month poster, which we distribute free of charge to more than 85,000 plus teachers, librarians, and booksellers nationwide.
Poem in Your Pocket Day
We provide resources, including downloadable poems, for National Poem in Your Pocket Day.
Poem-a-Day
We publish and distribute a new poem every day through Poem-a-Day, collaborating each National Poetry Month with the Library of Congress, inviting the U.S. poet laureate to guest edit the program.
Poetry & the Creative Mind
We host a range of special events and readings in April, including our star-studded annual Poetry & the Creative Mind event.
Founders of National Poetry Month
We act as the official source for news and information about National Poetry Month.
Resources for Teachers and Librarians
We offer inspiration and resources for celebrating National Poetry Month on the local level, including tips for teachers and tips for librarians.
Communication
We ensure that poetry gains national attention in the media each April by sending press releases to editors and journalists across the country. As a result, thousands of articles about poetry appear in newspapers, magazines, and online media outlets.