National Bad Poetry Day is a holiday observed annually on August 18th. It might seem critical of people’s artistic expression, but that would be misunderstanding the true intent of this holiday. This isn’t a day to poke fun at people who have written bad poetry; instead, it’s a day that encourages people to try their hand at writing poetry.

It’s a day to encourage people to pick up a pen and put words to paper. Sure, the first few attempts at writing poetry are likely going to be bad—perhaps even shockingly bad—but that doesn’t mean people shouldn’t make the attempt.

After all, on this holiday, there really is no such thing as bad poetry. All there is is the poetry that’s been written and the poetry that hasn’t been written because the author is too scared to make an attempt.

The History of National Bad Poetry Day

We don’t know who invented this holiday, when they invented it, or where it originated. All we know is that it started as a day to highlight bad poetry. The type of poetry that is so bad that people just have to hear it to get a good laugh.

Over time, the intent of this holiday has shifted somewhat. More and more people have begun to use this day as a way to encourage others to be more creative. There are quite a few people out there who haven’t tried writing poetry because they feel that what they’re going to write is going to be bad.

That’s unfortunate because it could potentially mean that we’re missing out on the voice of our generation, but we will never be able to find out because people are afraid to practice poetry.

Observing National Bad Poetry Day

If there was any day to create poetry, regardless of whether it’s good or bad, this holiday is it. Everyone should release their fear and try to put their thoughts and emotions on paper.

It doesn’t matter the result; all that matters is that a person gives it an honest try. This is also a good day to encourage other people to try their hand at writing poetry. We also encourage people to have Bad Poetry Slams. This is where groups of friends come together and try to find out who can craft the worst piece of poetry.

They can then show the rest of the world the best of the worst by posting them on social media using the hashtag #NationalBadPoetryDay. Let’s hear some rhymes, regardless of whether they’re really excellent or really bad.