Celebrating National Poetry Month

Poet Laureate Kay Ryan helped organize a poetry writing competition among community college students.

04 April 2010

Kay Ryan

FAITH LAPIDUS: Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I’m Faith Lapidus.

STEVE EMBER: And I’m Steve Ember. April is National Poetry Month in the United States. This year is the fifteenth celebration of the event. We tell about how America will be celebrating poetry this month.

FAITH LAPIDUS: Poets, schools, publishers, booksellers and libraries will hold readings, competitions, book displays, educational events and other activities in honor of National Poetry Month. They will celebrate poetry and its important place in American culture.

The Academy of American Poets created National Poetry Month based on the success of Black History Month. The Academy’s goals are to bring attention to the great work of poets in the past and today. The Academy also wants Americans to know the pleasure of reading poetry. And it wants poetry to be a more important part of school educational programs. It also hopes to persuade the public to buy more poetry books and donors to help support poetry organizations.

STEVE EMBER: The United States Library of Congress appoints an official poet, called the Poet Laureate, every one to two years. Many of them have created new ways to celebrate National Poetry Month.