Hope everyone is having a wonderful National Poetry Month so far! I wanted to check in and provide another set of ten ways in which you can celebrate this fabulous month. Each week, I will be providing an additional 10 ways so that you are inspired to do poetry-related things ALL MONTH LONG! You can see the first ten and this article will begin with Task #11!
11. Support a small press!
You can read my list of awesome small presses. If yours isn't on the list, feel free to send them extra love and support! Many small presses ask for donations or shared links to get their publicity up. Feel free to donate as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. It means so much! Pro tip: You can usually find donations on a press's Submittable page OR you can submit your own work (see below) and make it a paid submission.
12. Submit 30 poems to 30 publishers!
There are many lists of publishers out there. And many are accepting submissions year-round. Get your work out there and see where it takes you. For great lists of publishers, check out DMC's and PW's. Pro tip: Even if 29 out of 30 poems get rejected, you still are now a published poet. Pretty awesome, right?
13. Take a poet out for coffee!
This may be the easiest task ever, but trust me, it makes a difference. Poets often joke about living off of a "poet's salary," which basically consists of chapbook sales, performances and slam winnings. So, not a whole lot. By taking a poet out for coffee, it means you understand how hard they work and how valuable their work is. Pro tip: If you know of an indie coffee shop with a nice vibe to it, definitely take your poet there.
14. Check out writing prompts!
Since it is National Poetry Month, there is a National Poetry Month website with National Poetry Month prompts. They add a new one every day. Pro tip: If you stick to their agenda, you could end up having your website/blog shared!
15. Read 15 seconds of Shakespeare!
A year or so back, many famous actors read their favorite songs in Shakespearean style in 15 seconds. Check some of them out above. Pro tip: Find a camera, create your own and share!
16. Subscribe to a Poem A Day!
17. Hire a poet!
Try hiring a poet on commission to write a poem for you in whatever style you'd like. Of course, ask to make sure the poet is okay with it first, but then keep and cherish this absolutely uniquely designed poem that was written just for you. That's a pretty special gift. Pro tip: This can be a 'treat yourself' gift, a gift for a family member or a gift for a significant other. Whatever it is, it will be unforgettably special and unique.
18. Try to write a political poem!
Taylor Mali, as in the clip above, teaches us how to write a political poem. Of course, great humor and irony are necessary for this to occur. Pro tip: Try writing your own political poem based on the elements Taylor Mali provides in the video.
19. Create and film a Poetry Video!
Above is an example, which is Sierra DeMulder's "Today Means Amen," as filmed and produced by Button Poetry. Pro tip: Grab a camera and a poet and see what you can create!
20. Engage in a Haiku Death Battle!
Above is a Haiku Death Match from the National Poetry Slam a few years back. Naturally, yours doesn't need to be this large-scale, but it definitely can be. Pro tip: Get a few friends together, write some haikus, and battle to the death!
I'll be back next week with more! For now, have a happy National Poetry Month!
