Celebrate National Poetry Month and Develop a New Coping Skill

Celebrate National Poetry Month and Develop a New Coping Skill

The month of April is known for many celebrations and holidays. One you may not be aware of is that it is National Poetry Month. Poetry is a form of literature with special attention given to expression of feelings and ideas. Poetry has a distinctive style all it’s own with unique rhythmic qualities that can captivate the reader and entice them to read more. Poetry sounds kind of fun, right? Well, here are 4 ways to help you celebrate National Poetry Month and some tips on how to write your own poetry as well!

Poetry and Mental Health: Poetry is a great way to help you express yourself and release your emotions. Poetry can also be a way to cope as well. For example, it helps us explore our innermost thoughts and by writing them down can help release them trapped in our heads onto paper. Sometimes this exploration may be difficult, but as you navigate through this process of exploring your thoughts it might be the very healing that is needed to move you forward.

1 – Google famous poets: Researching poets is a great way to familiarize yourself with some of the most famous poets and how they came to be one. By researching poets it helps keep their legacies alive and educates people on their life stories. If you are unsure where to start in your research I will list some poets; Edgar Allan Poe, William Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, Maya Angelou, Walt Whitman and many more.

2 – Make a commitment to read poetry: Reading poetry can spark your imagination and expose you to a variety of words and literature. Reading poetry is similar yet different from other forms of writing; it is a unique way words are crafted into sentences that may leave the reader in wonder. I encourage you to pick up a poetry book or look up a poetry online to find out for yourself and let the adventures begin!  Listening to poetry might be soothing for some people as well. If you want poetry read to you there are audio options on Google and/or audiobooks. Sometimes listening to poetry might be more enticing for some. However, you may choose whichever you prefer! Lastly, listening to poetry may be an ideal way to cope with different stressors in your life. This might even lead you to a further interest in a particular poet!

3 – Start a poetry notebook: Keeping a poetry notebook can be a great way to express your feelings and emotions. The best part is, it’s your own poetry! Meaning you can write whatever you want and it doesn\’t have to be perfect. For starters, you may want to write words of feeling or emotions and craft a sentence including just that. Slowly but surely you will develop your own style of poetry. Keeping a poetry journal can be similar to keeping a personal journal in the ways of releasing emotions or feelings through writing. This can be a great way to relieve stress and anxiety.

4 – How to write a poem: To start writing poetry be sure to read a lot of poetry first, this will give you a great start to writing your own. Some helpful tips to writing poetry include starting small and building on sentences, write every thought or feeling that comes to your mind without stopping…just have fun! Remember: when starting something new, it can be challenging but with practice it will come easier and easier. Just give yourself time and enjoy the process.

Resourceful websites: https://www.creative-writing-now.com/how-to-write-poetry.html

https://lithub.com/the-32-most-iconic-poems-in-the-english-language/

Madison Reynolds

Mental Health Student Intern