The Emerald Isle has a rich history of poets and poetry. You may know that the first limericks were written in Ireland, but did you know that Ireland is home to other verse forms like ae freslige and Deibhidhe Guilbnech Dialtach? For today’s teatime, come prepared with a touch of green and get ready to celebrate the wonders of Irish poetry!
So you’ve written a poem you love and you’ve rewritten it so that it’s vivid and powerful. Maybe you’re ready to shout it from the rooftops for everyone to hear, or maybe you just want one or two people to see what you’ve written. Read on for plenty of ways, both big and little, to share your poetry with the world!
So you’ve written a poem. What next? In today’s post, we’ll take you through some suggestions for creating a poem that’s focused, uses just the right words, and leaves your readers feeling changed.
Last week we discussed some myths about writing poetry. Now, it’s time to get down to business and actually write a poem! Grab a pencil and paper and buckle up for plenty of ideas for poems, ways to brainstorm your poem idea before you start writing, and strategies for writing your poem.
It’s always fun to grab a stack of poetry books and dig in, but writing your own poetry is equally exciting! If you haven't written a poem before, never fear. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be talking about some myths about writing poetry, steps for actually writing a poem, tips for editing your poems, and a whole lot of poetry prompts. For today, let’s take a look at some myths about writing poetry!
Maya Angelou (1928–2014) was one of the most prolific writers, activists, and cultural contributors in the US. She was deeply involved in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. She is especially known for her autobiographical book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and for her books of poetry, for which she was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. She traveled and worked all over the world.
To start us off today, here is an excerpt from one of Angelou’s most famous poems, “Caged Bird.”
The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.
Maya Angelou was the first black female director in Hollywood. She wrote, directed, and starred in multiple plays, films, and television miniseries. She was nominated twice for Tony Awards and won an Emmy for acting.
Angelou worked for both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X during the Civil Rights Movement.
When she lived in San Francisco, she danced professionally, worked as a car mechanic, and became the first female streetcar conductor in the city.
Angelou learned at least some of the language of every country she visited.
She was an editor for The Arab Observer newspaper when she lived in Cairo, Egypt.
Angelou taught at Wake Forest Academy as a professor of American Studies.
She could sing and write songs. (Is there anything she couldn’t do?)
Maya Angelou was the second poet to read their work at a US presidential inauguration, following Robert Frost at John F. Kennedy’s inauguration. Here is part of the poem she read at Bill Clinton’s 1993 inauguration.
The horizon leans forward,
Offering you space to place new steps of change.
Here, on the pulse of this fine day
You may have the courage
To look up and out upon me, the
Rock, the River, the Tree, your country.
[...]
Here on the pulse of this new day
You may have the grace to look up and out
And into your sister's eyes, into
Your brother's face, your country
And say simply
Very simply
With hope—
Good morning.
Take some time during your teatime today to learn more about Maya Angelou and the Civil Rights Movement, and celebrate Angelou’s poetry with the books below. If you’re feeling crafty, you can also pair this art activity from The Teacher with a Ponytail with Angelou’s poem “Caged Bird.”
Poetry for Young People: Maya Angelou
Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem
Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets, edited by Kwame Alexander
Free verse poetry might feel like a foreign land for some and a familiar friend to others. Maybe you love the flowing sound and fun line breaks of free verse, or perhaps you prefer the rhythm and melody of Longfellow or Tennyson’s rhyming poems. No matter your experiences are with free verse, join us today to explore the vivid and breathtaking world of free verse poetry!
Winter is the perfect season to curl up beside the fireplace with a mug of cocoa or hot apple cider and read some poetry. But unless you love the constant chill drafts under the doorway and the icy frost on the windows of your car, you might be longing for a different season! That’s why we’d like to introduce some of our favorite collections of poetry about all four seasons for your enjoyment today. Bundle up and read on!