World Poetry Day..🎈

 

Celebrate World Poetry Day on 21st March! 

What is World Poetry Day?

In 1999, World Poetry Day was introduced, with the aim of promoting the reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry around the world.

It is an opportunity to appreciate the power of poetry and how it can capture the creative spirit of the human mind.

 Why is World Poetry Day Celebrated?

To some, poetry can be considered old-fashioned in today’s modern world filled with technology. This is why celebrating World Poetry Day is important as it encourages the return of traditional formats of poetry, it supports small publishers of poetry and portrays an attractive image of poetry in the media.

World Poetry Day is also celebrated because it is one of our most treasured forms of expression, as it can be simple or complex, can challenge traditional ideas or convey love and loss.

Why is it Important to Learn about Poetry?

A key area of literature that children are introduced to in school, poetry is important for a number of reasons. 

Reading poetry teaches children how to express their emotions and put into words how they feel. It also introduces children to new vocabulary and rhythms, as poetry is often rich with interesting and varied language and poetic devices. 

Poetry improves children’s creative thinking and problem-solving skills as it requires children to think and interpret what they’ve read, and often it will take reading a poem several times to truly understand its meaning. 

Learning to recite poetry is a great way to improve children’s memory and help them remember new words and phrases. 

Like other forms of literature, poetry allows children to see the world from new perspectives and learn more about other parts of the world. 

How to Celebrate World Poetry Day 

Celebrate World Poetry Day by reading some poetry. Look up poets such as Sylvia Plath, John Keats, William Wordsworth, and Ezra Pound. If you want to learn more about poets out there, then attend a college class on poetry, or head on over to a spoken word event to catch up on the latest poets on the stage.

There are lots of other exciting ways that you can celebrate World Poetry Day. Rather than reading a poem, why not watch a poetry reading? Thanks to the likes of YouTube, we have access to all sorts of videos today, and so it should not be difficult to find a poetry reading that interests you. The live recital of a poem, especially from the author who has written it, is extremely powerful. It takes the depth of meaning of the words to a whole other level. We would recommend taking a look at readings from the likes of Hera Lindsay Bird and Jay Bernard. They’re pretty incredible!

If you have children, World Poetry Day is the perfect opportunity for you to increase their awareness of this literary form and show them how fun and exciting poetry can be. After all, not all poems are serious! Poems can make us laugh, especially those that use clever wordplay and puns.

You can find lots of great books of poems that have been specifically designed for children. We would recommend Roger McGough’s Poetry Pie, which features more than 50 poems that will make your child laugh. Other good options include Cat Among the Pigeons by Kit Wright and Gargling with Jelly by Brian Patten.

If World Poetry Day has got you feeling inspired, why not write your own poem? You don’t need to be the next Shakespeare to enjoy writing poetry! Whether you decide to share it with other people or keep your poems to yourself is entirely up to you. If you’re feeling at a loss, don’t worry. It can seem a bit overwhelming if you have never written a poem before! It is always good to start with a goal in mind. What are you hoping to achieve by writing the poem?

Some other types include communicating your theme, using concrete words rather than abstract words, using similes and metaphors, using images, and avoiding sentimentality and cliches. You will find lots of interesting books and videos online about writing poems, so you can look up some of these to help you. There is no right or wrong way to write a poem or to begin the process, it is all about finding what works for you, and so it can definitely help to listen to some of the different methods that people use.

Find your favorite poet and share them on social media using the hashtag #WorldPoetryDay. Let your friends and family know today’s a day to appreciate language and the way we communicate with one another.

#WorldPoetryDay🎈