National Poetry Day on the first Thursday in October is a celebration of poetry across the UK. Through a combination of classroom activities and other events, this day engages people of all ages.
See it Like a Poet
This year’s theme is Vision. We are all encouraged to get involved on the day, to See it Like a Poet and to #ShareAPoem. Poetry offers a unique way to appreciate the world around us and exposing more people to poetry opens up the opportunity for creative expression.
Each year National Poetry Day generates an explosion of activity nationwide with thousands of amazing events across the UK. These take place in gardens and streets, in schools, libraries and public spaces both online and offline – all celebrating poetry’s power to bring people together.
Last year marked its 25th anniversary with a campaign highlighting poetry’s power to touch on truth – whether intimate or on the grand scale.
How will you choose to celebrate poetry this year? National Poetry Day would like to hear from you – you can use the hashtag #nationalpoetryday to keep them informed. If you would like to contribute your experiences, poems or events, they can be emailed at info@nationalpoetryday.co.uk .
Below are some ideas and suggestions to help you get started:
- Read a poem
- Write a poem
- Share a poem
- Put on an event
- Visit your local library or bookshop
Poetry in Schools
Poetry has an important place in the curriculum at school. The NPD website has a section for schools with resources, ideas, posters etc – please visit: https://nationalpoetryday.co.uk/education/ and https://nationalpoetryday.co.uk/education/free-education-resource-downloads/
National Poetry Day also falls within International School Libraries Month – further details can be found on our post here.