National Great Poetry Reading Day is a holiday that’s observed annually on April 28th and encourages all of us to appreciate an art form that’s been with humanity since the beginning of the written word. Some of the oldest written works are in poetry form and many scientists believe that poetry even predates the written word.

Unfortunately, over the past few years, there’s been a decline in the number of people who read poetry regularly and we find that to be quite a shame. So let’s all get together on this day and enjoy some of the most remarkable works ever to be created.

Interesting Facts About Poetry

For your consideration are some interesting facts about poetry that we would like to now include with this article.

• The word poetry comes from “poiesis,” a Greek word that means “making.”
• The Epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest surviving epic poem and dates back to the 3rd millennium in Sumer (modern-day Iraq).
• August 21st is Poet’s Day.
• The first poet to be buried in the Poet’s Corner of Westminster Abbey was poet Geoffrey Chaucer.
• The fear of poetry is Metrophobia.
• Emily Dickinson’s gravestone has two words on it: “Called Back.”

Observing National Great Poetry Reading Day

On this day, it’s up to everyone to discover the poems that touch their heart and mind and resonate with them on an emotional level. This is something that varies from person to person, but we have some personal suggestions as to what poems should be enjoyed on this day. And we’ve collected these suggestions below for everyone to explore and see if they’re right for them.

• A Short Collection Of Poems To Consider:
• The Song of the Happy Shepherd by William Butler Yeats.
• And Still I Rise by Maya Angelou.
• Fire and Ice by Robert Frost.
• The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Tennyson.
• Ode to a Nightingale by John Keats.