The Library will be closed on Thursday, November 28 & Friday, November 29, 2024, in observance of Thanksgiving.

national poetry month

Sims Poetry Library from the outside
Catherine Sturgeon, April 25, 2022

It began with a man and a suitcase of poetry. Hiram Sims, professor and poet, started this journey by loaning books of poems to his students at the Community Literature Initiative’s (CLI) Poetry Publishing Class. One of the requirements for the class was to read a poetry book a week.


Youth Poet Laureate Jessica Kim
Lynne Thompson, April 11, 2022

At what age did you begin writing poetry: Were there poets who encouraged or inspired you in the early stages and if so, who and what encouragement or inspiration did they provide?


Suzanne Lummis at the Skirball Center, 5/6/2017 photo by Penelope Torribio
Michael C. Baradi, April 30, 2021

I used to be a Messenger Clerk at the Cahuenga Branch Library many years ago, still undecided about being a librarian.


The 110 freeway at twilight
Christa Deitrick, April 30, 2020

It’s the last day of National Poetry Month, and what better way to close it out than by sharing the final batch of poems Los Angeles Public Library staff members wrote in honor of their first cars?


old red compact car in bad shape
Christa Deitrick, April 23, 2020

Welcome to the penultimate batch of affectionate, exasperated, and always entertaining poems written by our staff about their first car. We threw down the challenge last week as part of National Poetry Month, and the response was automatic!


Collage of poetry books for children
Caitlin Quinn, April 21, 2020

"Sheer perfection, no objection, near confection" —Fred Rogers


1980 Ford Fiesta
Christa Deitrick, April 16, 2020

In celebration of National Poetry Month, we gave Los Angeles Public Library staffers a poetry prompt—Write an Ode to Your First Car—and the response was Fast and Furious!


illustration by Basil T. Blackwood shows a seated audience looking attentive
Christa Deitrick, April 06, 2020

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, nonsense verse is defined as “humorous or whimsical verse that differs from other comic verse in its resistance to any rational or allegorical interpretation.


Baseball player
Christa Deitrick, April 14, 2017

April is National Poetry Month, and it's also the month that Major League Baseball kicks off a brand-new season. What better way to celebrate than by combining the two?


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