Share a poem with everyone you meet on Poem in Your Pocket Day! As part of New York City’s celebration of National Poetry Month, residents have participated in Poem in Your Pocket Day since 2002. The movement went national in 2008. Here are some ways to have fun on this special day during National Poetry Month, suggested by the Academy of American Poets and augmented by resources from NCTE and ReadWriteThink.org.
- Post pocket-sized verses in public places. Use the aptly named poem, “Keep a Pocket in Your Poem“.
- Memorize a poem. The lesson plan “Speaking Poetry: Exploring Sonic Patterns Through Performance” invites students engage in a variety of vocal activities and performance techniques based on word sounds.
- Distribute bookmarks with your favorite lines of poetry. Students can also write new poetry to include, like a catalog poem.
- Post lines from your favorite poem on your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Tumblr. In this lesson, students turn their original poetry into digital form using Animoto and share it with other classes or even with published poets during a Google+ Hangout or Skype session.
- Send a poem to a friend. Everyone loves getting a greeting card, especially if it’s homemade. Make a funny or thoughtful greeting card or invitation with pictures and a poem, joke, or riddle in this activity.
Poetry is best when shared, and Poem in Your Pocket Day is the perfect time to share!