Poetry has a long history, rooted back with the foundation of literature and alive today as both public performance and published work. It is resistant to formal definition and can be found in long and short form, humorous and serious, can brighten a day or crush the ego, . And while we may not read as much poetry as past generations, it can be the perfect fit for modern times.
We fill those small spots in the day by checking Facebook or playing a game on our phone. Why not try out National Poetry month and read Ode to a Nightengale instead of playing Angry Birds? Smartphone apps and games are tailor made to take up time while waiting for a train, in line for coffee, or when you beat your friend to the restaurant. But change that for a month (at least) and read a poem while you wait. It couldn't hurt to have a new source of entertainment and education.
Need some help finding great poetry? Try these:
Those that want truly epic and classic works should look to Homer, Virgil, and Dante.
If you enjoy traditional and romantic poetry, try John Keats, William Blake, or Percy Bysshe Shelley.
Want some great American poets who have stood the test of time? Read Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, or Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Linguists and modernists will enjoy the Imagist movement headed by T.S. Eliot, H.D., and Ezra Pound.
And for more contemporary poets, read Billy Collins, Mary Oliver, and Feng Sun Chen.
What other poets do you enjoy reading? Let us know in the comments!
Or you could read these cat poems...
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