The real Blessing on the Poets.. Introducing Poetcraft for National Poetry Writing Month
A dream of poetcraft come true!
from BLESSING ON THE POETS . . .
May language's language, the silence that moves
under each word, move you, over and over,
turning you, wondering, back to surprise. . .
“Blessing on the Poets,” in A Poet's Craft: A Comprehensive Guide to Making and Sharing Your Poetry (U of Michigan Press, 2013) and in Spells: New and Selected Poems (Wesleyan U. Press, 2013)
(SPEAK IT THRICE!)
I remember vividly the day I realized I needed to write "A Blessing on the Poets." I was sitting in the kitchen on a sunny afternoon and had just finished writing the final chapter of A Poet's Craft: A Comprehensive Guide tor Making and Sharing Your Poetry. After 20 years of working on the book (it was originally supposed to take 1/10 that time, but that's another story!) I felt shocked by finishing and suspected readers might feel the same. I didn't want to dump them off unceremoniously after such a deep and thorough poet's journey—so I wrote “A Blessing on the Poets” to offer an appropriate sendoff.
Now, of course, it is a poem for all poets; I have performed it to bless poets across North America and in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Every time I speak the ending, I think about what “language's language, the silence that lies under each word" means. And to me, it means: Meters.
I could go on and on about Meters, scansion, metrical variation, and all the other magical mysteries of the poet's most essential, ancient and defining craft and art--and, as you may know, I often do! Meters offer poets, in the words of one of my students, “the keys to the universe.” More than anything else, I passionately wish every poet the opportunity to learn the joy, the power, the discovery, the sheer exhiliaration--and the surprise!—of mistressing meters.
That's why for years and years--really ever since I started teaching meter in the late1980s--I have wished and hoped that someone would invent an app to teach meters! It's embarrasing to think of all the times I chatted up techie strangers at parties trying to make this happen. And then, when I had just about given up, it did happen! For the past year or so, my dear poet-friend Sanya Kurana and I have been teaming up to create an app called Poetcraft that will teach poets all about the Meters, my scansion system, and everything I teach in my classes.
Would you like to dive into the magic of Meters for National Poetry Writing Month (a.k.a. NaPoWriMo)? Then read the note below and press the button to receive the Meters prompts we wrote for you!
Yours with big love and singing poetry,
—-A NAPOWRIMO NOTE FROM ANNIE AND SANYA
Dear Poetry Friends,
April approaches, and with it, the invitation to immerse ourselves in the daily practice of poetry through National Poetry Writing Month. At Poetcraft, we believe that rhythm lives at the heart of poetic expression—in our breath, in our bodies, and in our words.
We invite you to join us on a month-long journey of daily poetic creation. Sign up today to receive:
1. 30 inspiring daily prompts rooted in metrical exploration
2. Special video from Annie introducing metrical diversity, to get you started
2. Our "How to write poetry daily" guide to establishing a sustainable writing practice
Poetry is not just an art form; it's a way of being in the world, of listening deeply and responding authentically. Let's practice together.
Yours in poetcraft,
Annie and Sanya