National Poetry Month, 2019

The Academy of American Poets designated April as National Poetry Month in 1996.  The purpose of this month-long celebration is to increase awareness and appreciation of poetry in the United States.  

Pam Turner, Librarian at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, came up with the idea to do a poet-in-residence program at Main Library to celebrate National Poetry Month. Her original concept was to have two poets spend an hour a day at an unused public service desk and write poetry on demand. The program now known as "The Poet is IN @ Main" grew in popularity so quickly that a group of poets and Library staff members occupied the desk from 9:00 AM to 5:00 to write poems for anyone who stopped by with a prompt. The poets sat behind the desk, equipped with typewriters and personalized stationery, ready to deliver poems for those who sought them.

This digital exhibit is only a small taste of what the incredibly talented poets created during National Poetry Month in April 2019. To read through the rest of the collection, visit the Carolina Room on the third floor of Main Library!