A lot has changed since last year’s National Poetry Month post. I now share poems on a weekly basis on the Facebook page, both my own poems as well as the poems of others. I’m not writing a new poem every day. I kept the schedule until my life became the whirlwind known as moving to Austin and starting a job. I’m trying to get back into a regular rhythm with my poetry. I miss the rhythm, and I know I need to be writing poetry more consistently. It’s the only way to become a better poet – that, and reading poetry.
Some things, though, don’t change. I’m still wondering how to celebrate this year’s National Poetry Month. I could share more poems than usual, but I don’t think that’s the right strategy. I may wish to bring poetry into more of the work I do, but it can’t supersede the main goal of Write Right which is to help people to write better and more creatively. While I think poetry can help with both of those things, I know that it isn’t a good idea to inundate people with poetry. I remember what it was like when I first began to study poetry. It was hard work. It had to be done in small doses. I couldn’t expect myself to understand a poem within five minutes of reading it. I still can’t expect that, but the labor of working through a poem is now a reward rather than a frustration.
What, then, to do for National Poetry Month 2012? I think I will open the floor to you, dear readers. Who are your favorite poets? What do you want to know about poetry? What role, if any, does poetry play in your life?