National Poetry Month was inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996.
Over the years, it has become the largest literary celebration in the world with schools, publishers, libraries, booksellers, and poets celebrating poetry’s vital place in our culture.
Madison Public Library is celebrating National Poetry Month this year with events, book displays, art exhibitions, and more.
National Haiku Day Celebration
April 17, 6:30-8pm (Doors open at 6pm) | Central Library
National Haiku Day is April 17, in honor of the traditional 17 syllables of a haiku. You're invited to this celebration honoring haiku and Wisconsin's own heritage of haiku. Members of the Segoe Poets will read from the first issue of American Haiku.
Founded in Platteville, WI, by James Bull and Don Eulert in 1963, American Haiku was the first journal in the U.S. exclusively dedicated to haiku in English. Furthermore, the Cradle of American Haiku was founded in 2008 in Mineral Point by Gayle Bull, Jerome Cushman and Charlie Trumball and has become a center for haiku workshops.
This event will feature local haiku poets reading their works and follow with an indoor "ginko haiku walk" with stations to try writing your own haiku! Doors will open at 6 p.m. and readings begin at 6:30 p.m.
No registration is required.
Book Displays
Find book displays at multiple library locations throughout the month of April, highlighting everything from haiku to odes.
Poetry Exhibition
April | Lakeview Library
Throughout the month of April, you can stop into Lakeview Library to view poems and pieces written by a group of local poets who meet regularly at the library! Their work will be framed and displayed in the community room for library visitors to enjoy all month long.
The Fourth Friday Poetry Group meets on the fourth Friday of each month at Lakeview Library at 1pm and new members are always welcome.
Our MADreads reviews are a collection of reviews done by library staffers. Sometimes, we also highlight book awards, special months and collections in our MADreads reviews. In honor of Poetry Month, one of our staff members who works as a selector purchasing new materials for the library suggested putting together a list of new and upcoming poetry works. Check out the 4-part series of fresh poetry titles below:
Book Lists Feat. Poetry: