Check It Out:

Did you know that April is National Poetry Month? If you’ve been looking for a creative outlet, why not take this opportunity to try your hand at poetry?

A great place to start is to get an understanding of the history of poetry and poetic forms. Listen to the Book on CD “A Way with Words IV: Understanding Poetry� to get a thorough overview from Wheaton College English professor Michael Drout. Drout surveys the history of poetry from the early oral tradition to contemporary poetry, discussing different forms and features you might want to employ as you start to write poems of your own.

There are several great books to help you learn traditional forms and poetic structures. “Writing Metrical Poetry� by William Baer gives step-by-step instructions and focused assignments for all major poetic forms — try out several and see which you like best. Or try Mary Oliver’s “Rules for the Dance� to get a perspective on reading and writing poetry from an award-winning poet. Actor, comedian and poet Stephen Fry gives a smart and witty take on writing poetry that includes exercises as well as helpful tips such as the “10 habits of successful poets� in “The Ode Less Traveled.�

In “Writing Personal Poetry,� author Sheila Bender details how to use poetry writing as a process of personal and creative growth. Focusing on free verse, she provides insights and exercises to help you explore the events of your life and express your thoughts and feelings through poetry.

We also have books geared toward kids and teens. In “Pizza, Pigs and Poetry: How to Write a Poem,� the first Children’s Poet Laureate Jack Prelutsky tells the stories behind some of his own poems and then provides pointers, ideas and exercises to help children write poems of their own. Kathi Appelt’s book “Poems from Homeroom: A Writer’s Place to Start� is divided into two sections. The first is a series of poems about the experiences of young people, and the second section gives background to the poems and provides accompanying exercises to help teens express their own ideas and experiences through poetry.

Ready to jump in? Enter our Book Spine poetry contest! Arrange a stack of books so that the titles on the spines make a poem. Take a picture and submit it to the library, and you could win a prize! Details and examples are available at www.newportbeachlibrary.org.

CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public Library.