Ways To Celebrate & Support Poets, Presses, and Poetry During National Poetry Month:
1) Win a book of poems!
(And learn about new poets and poetry bloggers too)
All these poets are giving away at least 2 books of poems, so there are over 100 chances for you to win free poetry during National Poetry Month:
BLOGS PARTICIPATING IN THE BIG POETRY GIVEAWAY!
2) Support Poetry Daily:
Poetry Daily has been giving us a poem a day since 1997. Amazing. I know I fall in love with new poets and new poems there quite often.
Give them your support with a donation: http://poems.com/support/support.htm
3) Buy a book of poems directly from the press that published it:
White Pine Press
Copper Canyon Press
Pitt Press's Poetry Series is another one of my very favorites. Books from Barbara Hamby (who I LOVE!) to Richard Blanco's City of a Hundred Fires (this book made me fall head-over-heels for him, still one of my very favorite books I keep on my desk) and Blowout by Denise Duhamel, which is another fav.
4) Support a small press (Two Sylvias Press) Kickstarter Campaign (and get yourself a set of poetry tarot cards!
The Poet Tarot: A Deck of Creative Exploration
5) Go to a POETRY READING:
Susan Rich will be on both sides of the country:
In Seattle: Susan Rich is reading 7 PM, April 19th this Saturday night at Elliott Bay Books, Seattle, WA. And it's with with Laura Neuman who has just published her first book.
Then in Cambridge, MA: Susan Rich will also be reading 7:00 PM, Wednesday, April 30th at Porter Square Books, Cambridge, Massachusetts with Jennifer Markell who has just published her first collection, Samsara.
Portland: April 25th: Book Release with Emily Kendal Frey and Rodney Koeneke
New York : May 11th -- Launch of #specialcharacters by Larissa Shmailo's at Bowery Poetry Club in NY Also includes readings by Amy King, Philip Nikolayev, Steve Dalachinsky, Marc Vincenz, and emcees Ron Kolm and Jonathan Penton.
Port Townsend, WA: Northwind Poetry Reading. 7 pm, April 17th. Where I'll be reading Thursday night with Susan Rich.
Or find an event in your area here
6) Buy a BOOK or ANTHOLOGY of poems:
Oh this list is long and incomplete, but here are a few books I've been enjoying lately--
Amy Dryansky's second collection of poems, Grass Whistle
All the Odes by Pablo Neruda
Morph & Bloom by Wendy Wisner
The Glad Hand of God Points Backwards by Rachel Mennies
Crying Shame by Jeffrey Morgan
Carl Adamshick's Wishes and Curses: Poems (Walt Whitman Award)
The new PRINT version of Fire On Her Tongue: An Anthology of Contemporary Women Poets
Or buy an anthology that gives back:
The Burden of Light: Poems on Illness and Loss edited by Tanya Chernov weaves together many solitary experiences to create a tapestry of inspiration, support, and hope. Part poetry anthology, part field guide, part multimedia art collection, The Burden of Light illuminates the vital force of our humanity, while encouraging us to reach out to others in need.
With 100% of the proceeds benefiting the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance, even a small donation to this multimedia collection has the power to effect change when collected with the generosity of others.
7) Write a Poem:
Write a poem a month for NaPoWriMo (yes, we're on day 14, but start now and you'll have 16 new poems by May.)
Thirty free prompts here you can read or download.
Or buy a whole book of poetry prompts-- Martha Silano and I wrote this book of writing exercises (366 actually!) to give you a poetry writing prompt for each day of the year:
The Daily Poet: Day-By-Day Prompts For Your Writing Practice.
8) Read a Poem!
Here's a poem by Keetje Kuipers from Drunken Boat called "The Doctor" which is a favorite of mine (and you can listen to it too).
Here's a favorite poem "Self Portrait with Reader" from my book, Hourglass Museum, featured on The Fetzer Institute blog.
And if you like that poem (Self Portrait with Reader) and want to download a copy for yourself (screenshot it, share it, make it your desktop background, whatever you wish),
you can do that here.
Happy Poetry Month, Friends!
~ Kells
Don't Miss a Post ~ Subscribe to Book of Kells by Email
Comments
Post a Comment
Always love to hear from you...and the anonymous option is open for those feeling shy.