Poem in Your Pocket Day!

Post date: May 16, 2016 2:53:27 PM

By. Abbie Schmidt, Staff Writer

Posted May 16, 2016

Have you ever heard of Poem in Your Pocket Day? If you have, hopefully it stirs up feelings of enjoyment. That was the intention of Slinger Middle School’s DI3C (Do I Care Command Club) when they spread awareness about the day. Mrs. Zimmel, an English teacher at the middle school is the leader of the club. I spoke with Mr. Walter, an English and Social Studies teacher at the middle school to learn more about the day. On April 21st, “D13C, a group committed to spreading positive vibes, took charge of the day.” The club visited homerooms throughout the day, sharing their positive poems and wearing their club shirts.

Mr. Walter shared with me the official description of the day, as stated on poets.org: "Every April, on Poem in Your Pocket Day, people celebrate by selecting a poem, carrying it with them, and sharing it with others throughout the day at schools, bookstores, libraries, parks, workplaces, and on Twitter using the hashtag #pocketpoem”.

Poem in Your Pocket Day was originally initiated in 2002 by the Office of the Mayor, in partnership with the New York City Departments of Cultural Affairs and Education, as part of the city’s National Poetry Month celebration. In 2008, the Academy of American Poets took the initiative to all fifty United States, encouraging individuals around the country to join in and channel their inner bard. In 2016, the League of Canadian Poets extended Poem in Your Pocket Day to Canada."

The following is an example of a poem shared throughout the day:

The Mind Dances by Lawrence Ferlinghetti

The mind dances,

When the body lets it

And when the body cannot,

The mind dances within

But sometimes they move together

And together sway

And fly together

And dance and sing

And then it is indeed

An enchanting thing

Mr. Walter revealed that his favorite part about the day “ involves the connections poetically minded people make with each other.”