In preparation for April's National Poetry Month, The Academy of American Poets recently unveiled their 2013 National Poetry Month poster. Graphic artist Jessica Helfand designed the poster to echo this year’s celebration of “the important and enriching role that letter writing has played in the lives of poets.” I wanted to share it here because I think it's beautiful and thought-provoking:
I think the poster is quite striking. I love how, from a distance, the poster looks vintage, intriguing, and maybe a bit random, but upon closer look, the intricacies of each piece quilted together create something structured and significant, essential even – echoing how each word in poetry works, I think. Look at that amazing postcard penmanship, the rich colors of the print ink, the shape and feel of the primer letters and numbers in the corner. Can you just feel and smell the dusty paper, taste the cool metal weight of one of those pens on your lips as you think of that just-right phrase? There are tickets, envelopes, an invitation. It seems to say: “Look where we’ve gone, what we’ve been, how we’ve operated. Where might we go, what will be, how it will happen?” So much poetic goodness.
If you click on the poster, the link will take you to the Academy of American Poets site where there are many wonderful Poetry Month activities already planned, and if you're organizing any Poetry Month events, you may request a free poster!
More about poetry:
For Verseday today, Gabrielle Prendergast is welcoming verse novelist Carolee Dean at versenovels.com
Tomorrow, Poetry Friday is being hosted by April Halprin Wayland at Teaching Authors