April is the month each year devoted to celebrating poetry. Some of us recall the poems we learned or required to read during our years in school. We may or may not have seen them as relevant to our lives.

At WMS, poetry can be found in our classrooms throughout the year. Some children are listening to a poem being read – sometimes more than once – as they begin to memorize the words. Others are writing their own poems after immersing themselves in others’ poems. Some students are making the connections between poems and songs – the rhythm, stressed syllables, pace, emotion and spirit contained in each.

Poetry, though a written literary form, comes from oral speaking and singing tradition. It is meant to be read out loud, to be shared. It has its origins in community and sharing the wonder and spirit of life. Take some time this month to remember a favorite poem or song, and ask your children about a poem they may enjoy, or introduce them to others.

To celebrate poetry, here is a poem for you by Billy Collins, former U.S. poet laureate, as he recalls his childhood.