Calling All Poetry Lovers: April Is National Poetry Month!

I’m not sure who decides these things, but April is National Poetry Month. I use poetry quite often in my work as a creativity coach and spiritual director. For writing prompts, for inspiration, for connection, for inquiry. For "centering down," as beloved Howard Thurman instructs us.

Do you use poetry in your work? Here are a few of my favorite resources for such. (These lists are representative, not exhaustive.) Let me know if you have others to recommend. Or, better yet, let’s write our own poems to share.

—Looking forward, Amy-Lyles Wilson

General Resources

Both the Poetry Foundation and the Poets sites can be searched by keyword or poet name. I use this feature often when preparing for themed workshops and presentations.

https://www.poetryfoundation.org

https://poets.org

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mystical-poets-to-read_n_56905341e4b0a2b6fb703c30

https://bulletin.hds.harvard.edu/what-can-ancient-spiritual-poetry-teach-us-about-living/

Individual Poets

Kate Bowler: https://katebowler.com; A writer not billed as a “poet” per se, her lovely short pieces can read like prose poems to me.

Scott Cairns: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/scott-cairns

Jane Hirshfield: https://www.barclayagency.com/speakers/jane-hirshfield

Denise Levertov: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Denise-Levertov

Mary Oliver: https://poets.org/poet/mary-oliver

Rumi: I heard Rumi quoted so often in my spiritual direction training that I thought I might become ill if I had to sit through one more Rumi poem or quote being read aloud while nodding my head in appreciation. Still, though, his work does stand the test of time, and I find myself resonating regularly with his words. https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20140414-americas-best-selling-poet