April is National Poetry Month, a month set aside to celebrate poetry and its vital place in our society. Launched by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, this month-long celebration has attracted millions of readers, students, teachers, librarians, booksellers, and poets.
Today, and for the next three Fridays, I will share my favorite poetry collections.
Today’s selection, All Along You Were Blooming, has been described as “a love letter from the poet to your heart, to your soul, and to your body.”
There is so much to like here, starting with the title and subtitle. These initial messages are reassuring, reminding us that we have been blooming for a while and that we can enrich our lives with “thoughts for boundless living.” I was also impressed by the striking colors and illustrations that accompany each piece of poetry and prose.
Morgan Harper Nichols—a multi-talented artist, musician, and poet—does more than create art. She also gives meaning to each season of our lives. Her work gently encourages us to live fully in the present moment and own our unique stories. Her backstory is an intriguing one. An introvert, she didn’t believe she could show up in the world. All that changed on a cold autumn day when Morgan took a deep breath and wrote an Instagram message to her followers. She invited them to share their stories, and one by one, she responded with a personalized poem, forging a deep and authentic connection with her audience.
Beautifully written and aesthetically pleasing, this book is a versatile gift for many occasions. Whether it’s for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, or holidays, this collection will delight the poetry readers in your circle.
One of my favorite poems from the collection:
You find yourself
beneath a canopy of trees
with broken branches,
covered with moss tangled at your knees.
Rest assured
the forest does not crawl on forever,
But you must begin the journey
here.
For this is the time,
this is the time to come alive,
to walk tall with a beating heart
and wide-open midday eyes,
to surrender,
here in the green,
for you are still free
to travel free,
without knowing
everything,
humbly following the traces of daylight,
even though the path is unmarked,
even though this was not a favored start,
this is your only Hope
to make it through
precisely here,
pushing through the land of the unknown
you will find your home
in Hope.
So for now,
while you are here,
turn your attention
to the lessons of strength
this present forest offers.
April is National Poetry Month, a month set aside to honor poetry and its vital place in our society. First celebrated in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets, this event has grown into a national movement that inspires millions, from the youngest children to the oldest readers. All forms of poetry from sonnets and romantic ballads to haiku and limericks to free verse are shared throughout the month.
Joanne Guidoccio 