Poetry: an art form that expresses feeling, emotions, and tells a story through its words. There are over 50 types of poetry, but the main two types are narrative which tells a tale/story and dramatic, which is performed on stage and has actors represent characters. When you think of poetry, Shakespeare or Edgar Allan Poe may come to mind, and you may think of it as boring—but it’s quite the contrary!

With this month being National Poetry Month, here are some ways you can celebrate it and get in the mood!

1. Write poetry daily

In honor of National poetry month, what better way to celebrate than getting into the habit of writing a poem every day or week? Whether it’s love, nature, friendship or another topic, you get to decide and write about it! Having a daily routine of writing poetry is not only a good way to honor the holiday, but also a good way to exercise and work your brain! 

     2. Read different forms of poetry for fun

If you don’t particularly enjoy writing poetry, then there’s always the option of reading poems. By reading different forms of poetry, your interest in poetry may increase, and you will truly understand the beauty of it.

     3. Rediscover famous poets

There are many famous poems that are forgotten, but are incredible works. Reading and analyzing poetry can help you rediscover the extraordinary world of poetry, and that writing can be simple and fascinating at the same time! If you’re new to poetry, “To Two Beautiful Eyes” by Theophile Gautier and “Starlings in Winter” by Mary Oliver are two great poems to start with!

Poetry can be a form of self-expression, personal experience, or purely imagination. Perhaps one of the best things about poetry is that you can allow it to be as creative as you’d like it to be. When you read or write poetry, you enter a different world where your imagination has no bounds. There is no wrong way to write poetry, so whatever works for you, just go for it! It may take some time to perfect your stanzas, so don’t be discouraged and use it as an opportunity to grow and improve!

Poetry is an underappreciated form of literature that deserves more love and attention. So the next time you pick up your phone, consider checking out a poem or two, or grab a pencil and a piece of paper and take a few minutes to focus on poetry!