Discovering more about poetry

There is so much to explore in the genre of poetry. We want to give you an opportunity to read poems about topics you care about, to get to know new poets, to see how poetry is alive and well in the world today. The links below help facilitate that opportunity. Explore for a while, and then choose 2 links that you want to focus on. As you read those, fill out the form we passed out to record some of what you are discovering.

Kaveh Akbar is Poetry's Biggest Cheerleader 

Protesting Through Poetry

Who Reads Poetry??

Maya Angelou's Phenomenal Woman as a Comic

Poetry Rx (Poetry Prescriptions/advice letters from The Paris Review)

13 Poems from Milk and Honey that Every Young Woman Needs 

With Spoken Word and Hip Hop a New Generation of Poets Has Taken the Stage

Poetry is for Everyone by Jason Reynolds (co-author of All American Boys) 

Celebrating Women's History Month (poems, articles, podcasts, and blog posts that explore women's history and women's rights from The Poetry Foundation) 

Read and explore more by and about Maya Angelou from The Poetry Foundation

Jay Z Explains Why Rap Should Be Considered Poetry

Read and learn about Gwendolyn Brooks "classic poems from a Chicago poet" from The Poetry Foundation

Read and learn about Langston Hughes "a poet of the people, for the people" from The Poetry Foundation

Read and learn about Sylvia Plath from The Poetry Foundation

Basketball poems

Six Features of Hip Hop Poetry

Poetry and feminism

Poems about spring 

The Anthology of Rap: Lyrics as Poetry

Poems of hope and resilience 

Jason Reynolds writes a poem each day in April for National Poetry month

This.poem.is.amazing. (soil by Irene Mathieu)

Audre Lorde's poem Hanging Fire should be required reading for everyone.

Split this Rock is an incredible poetry database, and you can search by theme, poet identity, award winners, etc. Their goal as a website is to empower poets and call them to a greater roll in public life

Round Table Discussion: Gun Control and Student Activism

Here are some articles that you might read. As always, feel free to research and find your own articles to discuss!

Get background information and the overall vision as compiled by The Women's March 

From Little Rock to Parkland: A Brief History of Student Activism

Students seize control about gun debate, plan walkouts and march

Black Teens Have Been Calling for Gun Reforms For Years

Parkland Students are Saying What Politicians Won't 

Senate School Safety Bill Has Bipartisan Support, No Gun Control Measures

Parkland Student Journalists Explain What it's Like to Fight for Gun Reform

Gun Control Rally to Coincide with Student Walkout 

School Walkout Go Nationwide 

Ahead of walkouts over gun issues, schools and students wonder: Can kids be punished for protesting?

How Young is Too Young? A National Gun-Violence Walkout Tests Schools