This week we celebrate two special poetry days – 28th Great Poetry Reading Day and 29th National Poem in Your Pocket Day.

The “Epic of Gilgamesh” is thought to be the oldest recorded form of poetry. It was written in 2100 B.C. on tablets that were then used on city walls. For me the oldest poems I read were  the Greek “Iliad” and “Odyssey” by Homer. These were part of my Greek and Roman Literature classes, many moons ago! Poems can take us to ancient worlds, deeper feelings and the glory of nature. Although, I rarely write poetry, it is a form of writing that can express emotion well.

Great Poetry Reading Day Timeline

1500 B.C. Aryans’ Rigveda Hymns. Aryans’ sacrificial hymns are put into “Rigveda,” and it becomes the earliest form of Sanskrit literature.

600 B.C. China’s “Shijing” “Shijing,” China’s first anthology of poetry is recorded and compiled.

1609 Shakespeare Sonnets Published. Sonnets, written by Shakespeare 10 years prior, are finally published and made available to the public.

1960 Sylvia Plath’s First Publication. Sylvia Plath publishes “The Colossus and Other Poems,” her first collection of poems.

Today poems are written and spoken across social media platforms and at open mics. It is a form of expression that continues to draw all ages together. With such a range of types and styles poets can write to reflect their thoughts and words in a specific way. This includes slam poetry, which is a competitive art event in which poets perform spoken word poetry before a live audience and a panel of judges. While formats can vary, slams are often loud and lively, with audience participation, cheering and dramatic delivery.

Some of the greatest poets include Rumi, Sylvia Plath, Robert Browning, T.S. Eliot, e.e. cummings, and Maya Angelou.

Do you have a favourite poet?