- Charlotte D.
- Saturday, April 02, 2022
With National Poetry Month beginning April 1st, is it accurate to say that poetry is still relevant? We here at the library answer a resounding "YES!"
This past year has proven itself difficult, cumbersome, and downright depressing at times. There has been so much chaos and conflict in the world, and finding ways in which to soothe the mind can be very difficult. While self-care remains vastly important - setting boundaries, practicing mindfulness, etc. - I would also like to think that, in a way, poetry may fall under that umbrella.
"A poem…begins as a lump in the throat, a sense of wrong, a homesickness, a lovesickness. It is a reaching-out toward expression; an effort to find fulfillment. A complete poem is one where an emotion finds the thought and the thought finds the words."
Poetry allows us to broaden our outlook and yet make sense of the world around us. When we reading poetry, we experience mindfulness by focusing on the syntax and loveliness of the words we hear or see. Poems - good poems - should also allow us to both reflect inward and outward - inward to the soul, and outward to our surroundings. Good poetry eliminates all but the most important words so that each word in the poem is deliberate, breathtaking, and befitting of a broader message. By reading poetry, we are nourishing our brains and practicing a profound mindfulness that lets us slow down and be at one with the beauty of language.
The list below reflects recently published works that I hope will help you practice a kind of literary mindfulness - or at least enjoy some lovely poetry on a wonderful April day.