"Poetry" by Alphonse Mucha

Happy National Poetry Month, all!  April is always one of my favorite months, not only because it rescues New England from the bitter drear that is March, but because there are suddenly people talking about poetry all over.  Here’s a collection of some of my classic links and a few new fun opportunities:

Reading Poetry

30 Poets, 30 Days Blogger and author Gregory K. features a new poem a day by well-known poets on his kids’ literature blog, Gotta Book!  Always a fascinating read.

Famous Poets in 140 Characters The New York Times asks 4 poets to write poems that would fit in a tweet.

Writing Poetry

Your Ode to the Big Blue run by the Smithsonian in connection with their Ocean Hall.  Submit an ocean-inspired poem at the link or on their facebook page.  Selected poems will be posted on the Smithsonian blog at the end of the month.

Poem a Day Challenge run by Robert Brewer, a poet and blogger for Writer’s Digest.  Fun, challenging, eyebrow-raising, and entertaining, he’s posting  a poem writing prompt every day this month.

Upcoming Poetry Events

Massachusetts Poetry Festival, May 13-14

Poetry Events by State at Poets.org

A Bit of Inspiration

from the series "Pavement Trees" by Ingrid Nelson

See the world from upside-downish!  Check out these beautiful photographs of puddle reflections by photographer Ingrid Nelson.

in Just-

spring       when the world is mud-

luscious the little

lame balloonman 

whistles       far       and wee 

and eddieandbill come

running from marbles and

piracies and it’s

spring 

when the world is puddle-wonderful 

the queer

old balloonman whistles

far       and       wee

and bettyandisbel come dancing 

from hop-scotch and jump-rope and 

it’s

spring

and

the 

goat-footed 

balloonMan       whistles

far

and

wee 

e.e. cummings