The 30 Poems Celebration begins April 1st! Let’s celebrate together all that poetry does for our hearts, minds, and humanity. This month-long celebration is all about helping people write poems in a supportive, virtual space. Anyone can participate — life-long poets, new-to-the-craft poets, rhymers, free-versers, musings-writers. The goal is simply to be a part of an extended community of poets. Here are some guidelines to get us started:
Write a poem a day (or whenever you’d like).
A new poem prompt will be published on Ethical ELA every morning. You can compose a poem inspired by that prompt or compose a poem inspired from wherever or however. Post the poem in the comment section.
If you miss a day or cannot muster the words, no worries. Join in when you are ready. You can still participate by being a reader-encourager.
If you want to commit to once a week (e.g, every Saturday), that is just fine.
If you want to write a poem but not post it, that is fine, too. Perhaps you will simply comment that you did write one.
If you’d like to use a pseudonym, you can, but keep the same one throughout so we can come to “know” and appreciate your contributions.
Read the poems – as many as you can — and offer encouraging comments.
Follow the poems throughout the day and encourage your fellow poets with positive comments. Is there a phrase that resonated with you? Is there a clever line? Are you connecting in a personal way? Are you seeing or understanding something in a new way? This is not the place for criticism.
Take care with your words and the hearts and minds of your audience.
Keep in mind that the poets here are teachers and students in middle and high school, so the content and insights will be diverse. Poetry has the power to move people to feel, think, believe, and act, so be responsible and respectful in your poems and comments. Ethical ELA will remove egregious comments or offensive poems.
Some suggestions for commenting on the poems during our April together.
For National Poetry Month, I wish to call your attention to Penny Candy Books, a relatively new children’s press started by two poets. Please check out the titles on pennycandybooks.com, including Quraysh Ali Lansana’s free verse meditation, A Gift From Greensboro. The story is about childhood friends in the Civil Rights era. PCB will publish my late mom’s haiku alphabet book next spring. Sydell Rosenberg was a charter member of the Haiku Society of America in NY in 1968; she also was a public school English teacher and taught ESL to adults. Many thanks.
For National Poetry Month, I wish to call your attention to Penny Candy Books, a relatively new children’s press started by two poets. Please check out the titles on pennycandybooks.com, including Quraysh Ali Lansana’s free verse meditation, A Gift From Greensboro. The story is about childhood friends in the Civil Rights era. PCB will publish my late mom’s haiku alphabet book next spring. Sydell Rosenberg was a charter member of the Haiku Society of America in NY in 1968; she also was a public school English teacher and taught ESL to adults. Many thanks.
I have ordered this from my local library. Thank you!