April is National Poetry Month
Submit your poem to be published in the Pilot News!
“Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote, The droghte of March hath perced to the roote, And bathed every veyne in swich licóur Of which vertú engendred is the flour”
If you’ve never taken a class in Middle English or Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales”, then you may not understand the section of The General Prologue above. It translates to “When April with its sweet-smelling showers/ has pierced the drought of March to the root/ and bathed every vein (of the plants) in such liquid/by which power the flower is created.”
Chaucer’s collection of stories is set during the 14th century. Twenty-nine travelers set out on a pilgrimage to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Beckett, located in Canterbury.
With March drawing to a close, April is almost here and will most likely bring those sweet-smelling showers along with it.
You might be asking what the significance of quoting Chaucer and why I’m informing you that April is coming (something you already know about). What you might not know is that National Poetry Month is observed during the month of April.
“Launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996, National Poetry Month reminds the public that poets have an integral role to play in our culture and that poetry matters. Over
the years, it has become the largest literary celebration in the world, with tens of millions of readers, students, K–12 teachers, librarians, booksellers, literary events curators, publishers, families, and, of course, poets, marking poetry’s important place in our lives. In 2021, the Academy of American Poets looks forward to celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of this annual celebration!” states www. poets.org.
In 2005, Indiana established a state poet laureate position, which is currently held by Matthew Graham, who was appointed to a two-year term in 2020. he is the author of four books.
In Marshall County, there are also many ways to celebrate poems and poets. Wild Rose Moon is hosting Moonlight: Live Arts and Culture which will highlight area musicians, poets, and storytellers. The first such Moonlight will be on Friday, April 9 with local poet and storyteller Nancy Botkin.
If you’re looking for a more hands-on approach, the Pilot News is seeking local poets to submit their own poem for publication in the newspaper. We will be printing them throughout the month of April as they are submitted.
Submissions are subject to editorial approval. Please limit all poems to less than 500 words. Vulgar content/language will not be accepted. Send all submissions to jmaster@thepilotnews.com.
If you’re interested in ways to celebrate other than writing a poem, head to www.poets.org for further details.