How #TheSealeyChallenge changed how I read poetry

April may be National Poetry Month, but August is the month of #TheSealeyChallenge. Have you heard of it?

My challenge began by picking up, and then putting down, a book of poetry in a bookstore.

“Don’t you still have other books to read?” asked my husband. He was right. My bookshelves at home are doublestacked.

There are two piles of books on my nightstand that interfere with finding my glasses and turning on the bedside light.

There is a stack of books on the coffee table and a stack on the side table by my favorite reading chair-turnedcat bed.

There are new, unread books in miscellaneous tote bags that I don’t even remember that I own; used books and ones I just couldn’t pass up, still in bookstorebrown bags.

At readings, I always buy books. Always. It’s a matter of principle.

To make matters worse, this particular bookstore trip was on the heels of my attending a literary fair where I came away with six — six! — brand-new books.

Yes, I did have other books to read. I put the book back.

Ready for my confession, dear reader? For all the books I own, I seldom find time to read purely for pleasure.

Sure, I’m primed at all times to read for copy edits, proofreads and critique. But pleasure? Who has the time?

Knowing this, how can I justify another purchase when there are so many unread books around my house that I had wanted just as much or more? (I console myself with the concept of tsundoku, or the Japanese word for buying more books than you read, but I digress. …)

Enter #TheSealeyChallenge.

I had heard of it before and seen the hashtag, but I’d never attempted it. Initiated by celebrated poet Nicole Sealey, the website states:

In 2017, balancing her administrative work with the promotion of her first book left poet Nicole Sealey with little time to read for pleasure. Nicole decided to challenge herself to a personal goal: read a book of poems each day for the month of August. Nicole announced her intention on social media and the challenge quickly took off, inspiring its own hashtag: #TheSealeyChallenge. (thesealeychallenge.com)

Here was my opportunity to, if not get caught up, at least make a tiny dent in my stacks of unread books. I decided that until I’d made a sizable attempt, no more new books.

But could I do it? I would have to get over my impulse to read and reread each poem. To simply, gasp, read the

Cati Porter book. Not to stop and look things up or puzzle over anything. I could later return to it, if I was compelled to, to do a deeper read.

On the evening of

July 31, I gathered some initial poetry collections. I deliberately chose books that I’d been excited by but had never read. I made a plan to read first thing in the morning, while I’m having my morning coffee, before the crush of the day. To read instead of Facebook. To read instead of delving into my inbox before 9 a.m.

The website gives some tips, which I mostly followed:

Develop a reading list. Pick books by marginalized voices.

Work your way through this predetermined stack of books.

My version? Though I grabbed my initial stack, I didn’t count out the books, and I’ve left room to swap out or supplement the pile as I see fit.

Another thing to consider is the length of the book. Don’t set yourself up for failure by picking the poetry equivalent of “War & Peace.” Pick books that can reasonably be read in a single day, or even better, a single sitting. Remember my column on chapbooks?

The next morning, on Aug. 1, I found myself excited to begin. Not because I could eventually reward myself with yet another book, but because I was excited to be reading these particular books. And by giving myself permission to read them quickly, I was relieved of the pressure to do close readings. I couldn’t afford to fall into that trap or I would never finish out the month.

As of this writing, I’m on day 14. By the time you read this, it will be day 21. At month’s end, I will presumably have read the full 31 books. I’ve made a public commitment. (Follow me on Instagram to see my progress: @cati_porter.) When I finish, maybe

I’ll reward myself with a trip to the bookstore. Or maybe I’ll just grab more books from the shelf and keep going. Wish me luck.

And for those of you thinking about your own books and writing projects, heads up! Inlandia’s fall season of workshops will begin Sept. 6. We have 14 — yes, you read that right! — workshops to choose from, with focused workshops on writing a murder, plot points, food writing, praise poems, and more. Register today: tinyurl. com/Fall2022CWW