National Poetry Month, no fooling

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Photo by Stefan Powell via Flickr.

We are now on the third day of National Poetry Month (it seemed disrespectful to mention it on the first, April Fool’s Day). Toronto poetry lovers need only walk to bpNichol Lane at the University of Toronto to read the late Canadian poet bpNichol’s haiku (above).

In addition to the myriad events, celebrations and readings planned at libraries, bookstores and venues across the United States this month, you can enjoy poetry by signing up to get a poem a day by e-mail. Poetry lovers are encouraged to put a poem in their pocket on April 17, then share it with friends.

If you’d rather just linger online, Poets.org, the Academy of American Poets website, is packed with delights. Browse for poems, by poet or even by subject, then read online or listen to recordings. Learn about the difference between Yeats and Keats. Buy poet-geek gifts like autographed broadsides or the Emily Dickinson T-shirt from the online store.

For your pleasure (and mine), see a poem by Angeleno writer Wanda Coleman below.

Carolyn Kellogg

we were never caught

we partied the southwest, smoked it from L.A. to El Dorado 
worked odd jobs between delusions of escape
drunk on the admonitions of parents, parsons & professors 
driving faster than the road or law allowed. 
our high-pitched laughter was young, heartless & disrespected 
authority. we could be heard for miles in the night

the Grand Canyon of a new manhood. 
womanhood discovered
like the first sighting of Mount Wilson

we rebelled against the southwestern wind

we got so naturally ripped, we sprouted wings, 
crashed parties on the moon, and howled at the earth

we lived off love. It was all we had to eat

when you split you took all the wisdom
and left me the worry