April is Poetry Month: Why poetry?

Yesterday would have been Maya Angelou's 90th birthday.  I think we can all agree her writing and in particular, her poetry, has influenced all of us.  In the many links posted in her honor, I came across this short video of Maya explaining the power of writing poetry.  Perhaps Maya Angelou's most passionate argument in favor of our students writing poetry is the need for concise writing!

I smiled at the both practical and logistical need to write in a concise manner in this busy world where Twitter characters are important glimpses into ideas and news. I remembered an article I read last summer.  I also thought about the power of learning to write poetry in my own life thanks to Two Writing Teachers and their Slice of Life Sharing!   I thought of ALL the copies of Shel Silverstein books students have worn out over the years.  

I am sure reading and writing poetry are important for language development and creativity.

I am sure writing and reading poetry are important for vocabulary development and critical thinking.

I wonder how we can assure reading and writing poetry are part of what we encourage?

I wonder how we can assure writing and reading poetry are part of every month, not just April.

Poetry Matters!