national poetry month

A boy holding a sign takes part in a Stop Asian Hate rally in Oakland, Calif.

'Today, I Am A Witness To Change': A Crowdsourced Poem Against Anti-Asian Hate

5:53am April 12, 2021

by Rachel Martin

NPR's resident poet Kwame Alexander created a community poem from submissions that reflected on increased violence and discrimination against Asian Americans.

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For National Poetry Month, Perspectives On Poetry, Identity And Inspiration

4:31pm April 30, 2019

by Natalie Brennan

April is the most poetic month, and we're celebrating by asking poets Hanif Abdurraqib, Yanyi, and Franny Choi to talk about what inspires them to write, and how poetry helps express identity.

It's Poetry Month. Tweet us your mini poems all April using the hashtag #NPRPoetry.

Arts

Help Us Celebrate National Poetry Month With Your #NPRPoetry Tweets

10:04pm April 07, 2019

by Emma Bowman

It's that time of the year when we tip our hats — and yours — to the art of the verse. All month, tweet your mini poems with the hashtag #NPRPoetry, and we'll pick some to feature on-air and online.

U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera from his office at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

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Juan Felipe Herrera On Poetry In Tough Times

1:55pm April 12, 2017

by Adrian Florido

Juan Felipe Herrera is the 21st Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. NPR met with Herrera on World Poetry Day, March 21, 2017, to talk about the role of poetry in society.

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A Glimpse Of Listeners' #NPRpoetry — From The Punny To The Profound

5:06pm May 01, 2016

It was a simple idea: Would you, our listeners, tweet us poems for National Poetry Month? Your response contained multitudes — haiku, lyrics, even one 8-year-old's ode to her dad's bald spot.

Acclaimed poet Maya Angelou knew how to appreciate a great steak.

Arts

In Honor Of #NationalPoetryMonth: Your Favorite Poems About Food And Farming

2:13pm April 24, 2016

by Maanvi Singh

Gastronomy and poetry are a natural pairing. After all, both provide necessary nourishment. We asked you to share your favorite selections about farming and food and gathered them up here.

Wendell Berry, America's foremost farmer-philosopher, with horses on his farm.

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The Gospel According To Wendell Berry, On Screen

10:07am April 24, 2016

by Dan Charles

America's foremost farmer-philosopher, Wendell Berry, is the subject of a new documentary. It celebrates the writer's work, and the rural community in Kentucky in which he's rooted.

The tweeted poems took a tack a tad more modern than the one depicted here.

Arts

'I Think That I Shall Never See, A Poem As Lovely As ... One On ATC'

6:57pm April 02, 2016

by Colin Dwyer

For National Poetry Month, All Things Considered asked listeners to tweet poems of their own — including the rhyme that tops this story. The plot thickened when a high school English class jumped in.

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