repost from my work with UntitledTown
Did you know that in 2002 the Office of the Mayor of New York City, in partnership with the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Education, started Poem in Your Pocket Day? Or that in 2008, the Academy of Poets expanded the program across the country? Or that in 2016, the League of Canadian Poets extended the program north?
Wait – what is Poem in Your Pocket Day, you ask?
It’s a day to celebrate and share poetry. On this day, pick a poem, carry it in your pocket, and share it with others – at school, at work, as you wander through the bookstore…share with anyone anywhere. (Share it on social media #pocketpoem)
I first learned about Poem in Your Pocket Day when a colleague of mine started stuffing our mailboxes with origami-folded poems a few years back. This “poems for pockets” giveaway has become a campus-wide endeavor for us. And we encourage you to do the same. Pass them out at work. Pass them out at school. Pass them out on the street or to patrons in your favorite coffee houses. Create bookmarks with your favorite lines of poetry. Add a short poem to your mail signature. Get the word out there – poetry is for everyone!
Poem in Your Pocket Day this year is April 29. See their website for more information.
Ami Maxine 