As a self-proclaimed hopeless romantic, I’d like to celebrate World Poetry Day at home, in my room, with the AC on 26 degrees C, in my PJs, with a mug of thick steaming tsokolate de batirol on the side of the bed, my feet tucked under the blankets as I reread Pablo Neruda’s poems.
Unfortunately, March 21 falls on a Tuesday. If there is any chance the setup above happens, it has to happen as soon as I wake up or before I sleep. For the rest of the day though, what can I do?
Why are We Celebrating World Poetry Day?
UNESCO first adopted World Poetry Day in 1999 to celebrate one of humanity’s most treasured artistic forms of creative expression. It aims to honor poets, revive oral traditions, promote poetry, foster its convergence with different art forms, and increase the visibility of poetry in different media.
National Poetry Day
Aside from March 21, the Philippines also has a special day dedicated to our Filipino poems and poets. Celebrated for the first time on November 22, 2022, National Poetry Day or Pambansang Araw ng Pagtula aims to bring poetry back to the hearts of Filipinos.
November 22 was chosen as the date of National Poetry Day because it is the birthday of Jose Corazon de Jesus or Huseng Batute, the country’s Hari ng Balagtasan.
Discover Filipino Poets
I’m not proud that I know next to nothing about Filipino poetry. I haven’t really read Filipino poems outside the required readings way back when I was a student. I’m ashamed to say that the only Filipino poet I have books of is Rod Marmol, and that’s primarily because he was a friend from high school. (I do enjoy reading your catalog, Rod.)
But since getting involved in producing storybooks for our agency, I’ve been feeling really guilty for my lack of awareness of Filipino writers, especially poets. And now that I’m helping Book Nook San Jose City catalog the books from the National Book Development Board (NBDB), I found out that there are actually so many poetry books now.
Thankfully, finding books like these is easier now because of the presence of local publishers like UP Press and the Ateneo de Manila University Press on online shopping platforms. Let’s just keep our fingers crossed that more public libraries and (public school libraries) will have more financial support to acquire more Filipiniana books.
Share Your Favorite Poem
There was a time long ago when I would print copies of Pablo Neruda’s Sonnet XVII (the one with that epic “I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where”) and leave them in books and coffee shop tables. If I had beautiful handwriting, I’m sure I would rewrite them by hand on parchment paper and do the same.
You can do this, too. If you have talent in creating videos, you can make short films or even reels. You can read it during class. You can wear the poem on a shirt. Or you can write your favorite verse on a coffee cup and take a snap for the Gram. If your favorite poet is still alive and is active on social media, you can tag them, too.
I do not pretend to have an exquisite taste in literature. Neither do I have the talent to extract deep meanings from poems. Nevertheless, I want to share with everyone who would listen about my favorite poem.
Read more: Resilience Song: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou
Join the Open Mic Night at Your Local Coffee Shop
Books and coffee go together, and that’s why coffee shops are a popular venue for different literary events. These past few years, we’ve collectively discovered that many in the population are incredibly talented in spoken poetry. A spoken poetry open mic night is a great opportunity for poets and poetry lovers to meet and share their love for the craft. It can also be an opportunity to discover new talents.
Or, if there’s no such thing in your city, why not pitch the idea to the coffee shop owner? It could be a free advertisement and entertainment for the coffee shop!
Write a Poem
Back in high school, I wrote my first poem for a school contest. I didn’t win and, being the quitter that I am, I didn’t write again until nearly two decades later, when I experienced a massive heartbreak. I would shelve these poems, and years later would find them tucked away in my old files. They sucked.
But, hey. Even the most prolific poets were once beginners. Who knows, maybe if I continue reading and writing poems, I’d be able to pen one that sucked a little less.
Regardless, one of the best ways to keep poetry alive is to keep writing. Not that poetry is dead or dying, but there will always be words that need to be said, feelings that need to be released.
