National Poetry Month was founded by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, and since then it has become the single largest literary celebration in the world. We’re proud to share the ways CLMP members are bringing readers and writers together around poems in April 2024!
African Voices
On April 12 and 13, African Voices will host an in-person, two-day event highlighting its recent special issue celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, guest edited by Kevin Powell. On April 12 at 5:30 p.m. ET, the event will kick off with performances by reg e gaines and Avery Danae Williams, writers from African Voices’ recent issue, and will also feature screenings of Black Love Manifesto and an episode of Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop. A film talk on women in hip-hop will be led by CR Capers, founder of the Hip-Hop Film Festival. The event is free with a suggested $7 donation and will be held at Riverside Theater in Harlem, New York. RSVP here.
On April 13 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET, African Voices will host an afternoon of poetry, art workshops, an open mic, and music by DJ Franchella. The event is free with a suggested $7 donation and will take place at The Venue in Harlem, New York. RSVP here.
Alice James Books
Throughout April, Alice James Books is hosting its annual Friends and Family sale. Most books are marked down to $15, and readers can purchase Light Me Down: The New and Collected Poems of Jean Valentine for $25.
Belle Point Press
From April 1 through April 10, Belle Point Press is offering a 50% discount on individual poetry chapbooks. The discount is applied automatically at checkout. Later this month, Belle Point Press will offer additional sales on its full-length titles and poetry bundles.
Black Lawrence Press
Black Lawrence Press is offering a 50% discount on more than 100 poetry titles in April.
Book*hug Press
Throughout April, Book*hug Press will share interviews with poets and spotlight select poetry titles on the Book*hug blog and social media channels.
From April 2 through April 30, Book*hug is also offering a 20% discount on all poetry titles in all available formats. To redeem the 20% discount, use the code NPM2024 at checkout.
Electric Literature
Electric Literature’s The Commuter opened for poetry submissions—as well as submissions of graphic narrative, essays, flash fiction, and flash nonfiction—on April 1. The submissions portal will remain open until April 14 at 11:59 p.m. PT, or when the submissions cap of 750 is reached, and more information is available on Electric Literature’s submissions page.
Hub City Press
Hub City Press is hosting two in-person poetry celebrations in Spartanburg, South Carolina, during National Poetry Month. On April 2 at 6 p.m. ET, Evelyn Berry and Ray McManus will discuss their new poetry collections Grief Slut and The Last Saturday in America at Hub City Bookshop. On April 23 at 6 p.m. ET, J. Drew Lanham will read from and sign Joy is the Justice We Give Ourselves at Converse University’s Daniel Recital Hall.
Throughout April, Hub City Press will also offer a 15% discount on backlist poetry titles and will feature poetry excerpts from both frontlist and backlist collections on its Instagram.
Lines & Breaks
WriteGirl will be launching Issue 4 of its literary journal Lines & Breaks during National Poetry Month. The issue will feature writing from teen girls and gender-expansive youth in Los Angeles and around the world.
Making Waves: A West Michigan Review
On April 27 at 11 a.m. ET, Ludington Writers, the publisher of Making Waves, will host a free, in-person ekphrastic poetry workshop in partnership with the Ludington Area Center for the Arts in Ludington, Michigan. Workshop participants will be invited to read their pieces on Tuesday, April 30, at 6 p.m. in the Arts Center’s performance hall.
The Markaz Review
On April 1, The Markaz Review published video commentaries and poems by poets Alina Ştefănescu and Ladan Osman in its Poetry Markaz section, edited by Sholeh Wolpé, adding to Poetry Markaz’s archive of poems and video commentaries from more than 30 international poets.
Midway Journal
On April 15, Midway Journal will publish Volume 18, Issue 2. This issue features winning poems from the inaugural Action/Words Poetry Contest, judged by Ruth Awad, including “The Cherry Garden” by Heeseo Lee, “Good Mother Manifesto” by Stacy Boe Miller, and “The First Man to Fall into the Sun” by Alan Sincic.
Philadelphia Stories
On April 7 at 3 p.m. ET, Philadelphia Stories will host a virtual master class with poet Kirwyn Sutherland. Register here.
Read Furiously
On April 9, Read Furiously will launch the eco-activist poetry collection Wind to Space, the next installment of its pocket-sized One ‘n Done series. Written by artist, writer, and activist Rowan Kilduff, Wind to Space mixes abstract poetry and sketches to create an ecological journal.
In addition, Read Furiously invites readers to purchase any three books from its poetry collection for $30.
The Rumpus
Throughout April, The Rumpus continues its annual National Poetry Month series by publishing a poet every weekday. The 2024 series kicked off with poems from K. Iver and Ae Hee Lee.
Sinister Wisdom
On April 9 at 7 p.m. ET, Sinister Wisdom will host a virtual launch of Sinister Wisdom 132: How Can a Woman Who Is with a Trans Man Call Herself a Lesbian?, which features poetry by trans, lesbian, and queer poets. Register here.
SWWIM
On April 20 at 10 a.m. ET, SWWIM will host Commodore’s Quest: A Poetry Scavenger Hunt at the O, Miami Poetry Festival. Participants of all ages are invited to join a scavenger hunt on the Commodore Trail and through The Barnacle’s hardwood hammock, ending at The Barnacle for a lawn party with games, food, and drinks. This event is free for children ages 10 and under; adult tickets cost $15.
Terrain.org
On April 22 at 8 p.m. ET, Terrain.org will host an online National Poetry Month and Earth Day reading featuring Dorianne Laux, Gary Soto, and Byron F. Aspaas, hosted by Terrain.org poetry editor Derek Sheffield. Register here.
Trio House Press
During the month of April, poets can enter their poems into the Trio House Press Na-Po-Wri-Mo Contest to win $100. In conjunction with the contest, Trio House Press is offering the Na-Po-Wri-Mo Bundle, which includes a copy of its new anthology/poetry prompt book, 30 Poems in 30 Days: Poetry Prompts Inspired by Trio House Press Poets, along with a copy of a new blank unlined journal, featuring the art of Jeffrey Scherer.
Wellspringwords
On April 17, Wellspringwords will publish Issue 1 of its literary anthology, which focuses on the “heart-led exploration” of the self. This issue primarily features poetry, along with select memoir, personal essay, and experimental pieces. Subscribe to the newsletter to be notified of the anthology’s launch.
Words Without Borders
In April, Words Without Borders will highlight poetry in its newsletter and on social media, sharing new and archival pieces that feature poetry in translation, as well as prose about poetry.
