New York, NY (March 30, 2023)—Saturday, April 1 marks the beginning of the 27th annual National Poetry Month, an occasion established by the Academy of American Poets in 1996 to celebrate the integral role that poets and poetry have in our culture.

“The Academy of American Poets is proud to have founded what has since become a global celebration of poetry’s importance to readers of all ages, and to witness each year the many millions of individuals coming to Poets.org to read and share poems, including teachers for whom National Poetry Month can serve as an opportunity to introduce their students to the art form,” said Tess O’Dwyer, Board Chair. “In honor of this occasion, the Academy is thrilled to offer the following initiatives and resources to assist readers in joining the celebration anywhere, including online, at home, and in the classroom, throughout the month of April and beyond.”

Poets.org: Official Online Information Hub

Visit Poets.org, the official information hub for National Poetry Month, to find many resources, including lists of 30 ways to celebrate National Poetry Month online and at home and 30 ways to celebrate in the classroom.

Poetry Near You

List your poetry readings and events on the national Poetry Near You calendar on Poets.org. You can also download the official National Poetry Month logo to use on your National Poetry Month event promotional materials.

Poetry for the Classroom

Each year the Academy of American Poets presents Dear Poet, a multimedia education project inviting young people in grades five through twelve to write letters in response to poems written and read by award-winning poets. Educators across the country have submitted their students’ letters, and a selection of student letters and poet reply-letters will be featured on Poets.org in April. 

In addition to Dear Poet, the Academy produces lesson plans and tips for teachers to help bring poetry into the classroom, as well as Teach This Poem, an award-winning, weekly series that encourages teachers and students to engage with the art of poetry.

National Poetry Month Poster: Designed by Arthur Creator Marc Brown

Order a free copy of the official 2023 National Poetry Month poster, which was designed by Marc Brown, creator of the popular Arthur books and PBS television series. The artwork incorporates an excerpted line from the poem “The Carrying” by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón. Brown was selected by Scholastic—the global children’s publishing, education, and media company—to create the artwork for this year’s poster as part of a new National Poetry Month initiative between Scholastic and the Academy of American Poets. Copies are available through Poets.org while supplies last; the poster is also available as a downloadable PDF. In partnership with the American Booksellers Association, the American Library Association, and the National Council of Teachers of English, the Academy of American Poets will distribute 85,000+ National Poetry Month posters to teachers, students, families, and individuals throughout the United States.

Poem-a-Day: Curated by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón

Sign up for Poem-a-Day to receive a free poem in your inbox each morning. The series features previously unpublished poems by contemporary poets on the weekdays and classic poems from the public domain on the weekends, and is a popular way to engage with poetry daily. On weekdays this April, the series will feature poems selected by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón. Each Poem-a-Day newsletter features an audio recording of the poem in addition to the text. 

Hashtag: #NationalPoetryMonth 

Follow the National Poetry Month celebrations happening across the country by using the official hashtag, #NationalPoetryMonth. Tweet your online readings or virtual events to the Academy of American Poets @POETSorg so the organization can retweet.

20th Annual Poetry & the Creative Mind on April 26

Join the Academy of American Poets on April 26 at 7:30 pm EDT for its signature National Poetry Month event and annual benefit, Poetry & the Creative Mind. The celebration will be presented virtually, making it available to poetry readers and lovers everywhere. This year’s program includes performances of favorite poems by Ethan Hawke, Liam Neeson, Malala Yousafzai, Molly Shannon, Rosie Perez, and other luminaries from across the arts and culture; National Humanities Medalist Richard Blanco and Academy Chancellor Kimiko Hahn will co-host. Register to attend for free or learn more about the Producers Circle. Proceeds from the event help fund the Academy’s K–12 Education Program, which reaches more than 100,000 students each year with free resources. 

Poem in Your Pocket Day on April 27

Select a poem and share it with others at work, at home, online, or in the classroom on April 27 for Poem in Your Pocket Day. The Academy of American Poets provides free resources for celebrating National Poem in Your Pocket Day, including an updated and downloadable PDF of pocket poems that will be available on Poets.org. Poem in Your Pocket Day was launched in 2002 by the New York City Office of the Mayor, in partnership with the New York City Departments of Cultural Affairs and Education. In 2008, the Academy of American Poets expanded the initiative nationally, and in 2016 to Canada in partnership with the League of Canadian Poets. People can share their poems online using the official hashtag #PocketPoem. 

National Media Resource

Throughout the year and especially in April, the Academy of American Poets responds to media inquiries about poetry in the United States and American poets, providing interviews and information about poetry today. To request an interview with a representative from the Academy of American Poets, contact Michelle Campagna at: (212) 274-0343, ext. 22 or by writing [email protected].

National Poetry Month Sponsors and Partners

The Academy of American Poets’ activities and programming are only possible with the support of National Poetry Month Sponsors and Partners, including 826 National; ABRAMS Books; Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.; American Booksellers Association; American Library Association; Betsy South Beach Hotel; Civitella Ranieri Foundation; Glen Hollow; Graywolf Press; Milkweed Editions; National Council of Teachers of English; National Endowment for the Arts; New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; New York State Council on the Arts; O, Miami; Penguin Books; Penguin Random House; Poetry Foundation; Poets & Writers; University of Arizona Press; and W. W. Norton & Company.

About the Academy of American Poets

Founded in 1934, the Academy of American Poets is the nation’s leading champion of poets and poetry with supporters in all fifty states and beyond. The organization annually awards $1.3+ million to more than two hundred poets at various stages of their careers through its prize and fellowship programs. The organization also produces Poets.org, the world’s largest publicly funded website for poets and poetry; established and organizes National Poetry Month each April; publishes the popular Poem-a-Day series and American Poets magazine; provides free resources to K–12 educators, including the award-winning weekly Teach This Poem series; hosts an annual series of poetry readings, and special events; and coordinates a national Poetry Coalition that promotes the value poets bring to our culture. To learn more about the Academy of American Poets, including its staff, its Board of Directors, and its Board of Chancellors, visit: https://poets.org/.