"Wait on the wind, catch a scent of salt, call it our life." — Philip Levine, Our Valley

April is finally here, which means it’s National Poetry Month! Many wonderfully talented poets have had strong roots in the uniquely beautiful state of New Jersey. Walt Whitman (1819-1892), one of the most influential poets in the American canon, died in Camden where he spent many years editing Leaves of Grass — a collection of poetry he spent his entire life writing — and composing his final book of poetry and prose, Good-Bye, My Fancy. William Carlos Williams (1883-1963), a leading poet during the Imagist Movement — a poetic development of the 20th century that focused on common speech in free verse with clear, concrete imagery — lived and died in Rutherford. He inspired many avant-garde Beat poets, including Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997) who was born in Newark and paved the way for liberalized publishing with his 1956 collection of poetry, Howl and Other Poems. Amiri Baraka (1934-present), a prominent figure during the Black Arts Movement in the 1960s, was also born (and still lives) in Newark. Stephen Dunn (1939-present), winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize of poetry and the distinguished professor of creative writing at Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, once said “New Jersey's gift to its poets . . . is that it's a place of many places, essentially amorphous, freeing us to look at the world.” Robert Pinsky (1940-present), former national poet laureate and consultant in poetry to the Library of Congress, founded the Favorite Poem Project dedicated to celebrating poetry's role in America. He was born in Long Branch and received a Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers University in New Brunswick.

Photo via AAP
This year's poster features "Our Valley"
by Philip Levine.

Hoping to increase awareness of the significance of poets and their poetry in the United States, National Poetry Month was established in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets. Each year, the Academy designs and distributes nearly 200,000 National Poetry Month posters, which are mailed free of charge to teachers, librarians and booksellers around the nation (I got mine!). The Academy also provides lesson plans for teachers and tip sheets for anyone interested in hosting an event in honor of the month-long celebration. Editors and journalists from media outlets across the country receive press releases from the Academy to ensure National Poetry Month receives coast-to-coast attention. As a result, thousands of articles about poetry emerge in newspapers, magazines, and online mediums. Visit the Academy of American Poets online for a list of ways to celebrate poetry every day this month.

Many local events in April are being held in tribute to National Poetry Month. The Ocean County College Department of English and Literature is hosting a number of special events, including a poetry reading on Tuesday, April 10 at 11 a.m. in the Black Box Theatre, Room B100 of the Arts and Community Center. Alicia Suskin Ostriker — a Jewish feminist poet, critic and activist who lives in Princeton, will lead the reading. Ostriker is professor emerita of English at Rutgers University and has taught in the low-residency poetry MFA program at Drew University. On Thursday, April 12 from 12:30 to 2 p.m., an Open Mic Poetry Jam will be held in the Solar Lounge.

Beach Haven resident Richard Morgan, author of Sea Glass: A Collection of Poetic Pieces and Sea Glass People: Portraits of Words and Watercolors, will be reading from his works at the Stafford Branch of the Ocean Couny Library on Monday, April 16 at 1 p.m. Morgan's wife, Pat — a member of the Pine Shores Art Association — will accompany the reading with slides showcasing the books' illustations, which she drew.

The Carriage House Poetry Series in Fanwood will host a free open mic event preceded by a reading led by distinguished poets Renee Ashley and Catherine Doty on Tuesday, April 17 at 8 p.m. in the Kuran Arts Center. Ashley is on the core faculty of Fairleigh Dickinson University's low-residency creative writing MFA program. Doty, born and raised in New Jersey, teaches sixth grade language arts in Millburn. Both poets have received a fellowship from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

The Society for Poets of Southern New Jersey will be hosting a number of poetry events throughout the month of April at the Woodbury Public Library and the Logan Township Library. The events will include open mics, poetry readings and workshops.

In honor of one of my favorite poets, Robert Hass — one of contemporary poetry's most praised authors — I leave you with his poem, Meditations at Lagunitas. Please feel free to share your favorite poems with me!