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Is poetry still a thing? National Poetry Day says yes!
Thursday 28th September 2017 | Toms
National Poetry Day is a campaign that was started 23 years ago, in order to raise interest and awareness about this form of art that the United Kingdon is oh so well known for!
Every year a collection of societies and foundations get together, and organise events, performances, competitions, as well as publicising up and coming poets!
Every year they run a theme and encourage participation in different ways. For more information, you should check out their website.
"There are millions of talented poets out there and it's about time they got some recognition for their work. They shouldn’t be embarrassed about reading their work out aloud. I want people to read poetry on the bus on their way to work, in the street, in school and in the pub" said William Sieghart, who founded the National Poetry Day in 1993.
This year, the theme is 'Freedom'. For me, poetry means freedom from the every day, from the stress, from people, freedom from the physical, so to say. But it's also a lot more than just that, so instead, let me explain what I mean, in through poetry, about poetry.
Poetry:
Poetry is humanity's internal dialogue,
Externalised.
It's the raw emotion with which we feel
Shared with the world.
Through poetry, people have achieved greatness,
Whether it is eternal fame,
Inspiring masses of people,
Or changing the way we perceive the world,
Poetry has done more than is visible to the eye.
Of course many great poets died in obscurity.
But that's not what they lived for,
Their works touched the people around them,
Made them feel emotion,
Made them feel human.
And that's what poetry is for me,
Because in every day rush of getting things done,
We forget to be human.
We forget to step back and marvel
At what we have done,
What we have achieved,
What we can achieve,
And how no matter what,
We will create,
We will inspire,
And we will be human.
Image credit: Ulrike Mai
