“APRIL is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.” – T. S. Eliot
Eliot’s The Waste Land professes April to be the cruelest month, others disagree. Langston Hughes sings of April’s Rain and William Watson thinks of April as a laughing girl. As of 1996, April became National Poetry Month, a time set aside to ponder the importance of poetry in today’s society. Begun by the Academy of American Poets, it is now the “largest literary celebration in the world” with schools, libraries, poets, and readers, in general, participating. The month concludes with “Poem in Your Pocket Day” on April 30 where you carry a copy of your favorite poem with you to share with others.
Come join Reese Library as it celebrates National Poetry Month with a display of poetry books in the lobby. Find a poem that speaks to you. Other poetry books can be discovered in the Libraries’ GIL Catalog and if you are having trouble deciding on a poet, feel free to ask at the information desk for recommendations.
