Time to celebrate!

Today is the first day of National Poetry Month. And as far as I'm concerned, that's reason to celebrate. It isn't all that often that people sit up and pay attention to poetry, so having it get its very own month seems special.

There's plenty going on in our area, with a few highlights posted in the events on the right. If you check the League of Canadian Poets' website, you'll find lists of events taking place all across the country. Since nearly all of them are free, who knows, you might find it worthwhile to stop in at one or two in your area.

It's also National Poetry Month for our neighbours to the South. Lots going on there too, as click on their posting reveals -- plenty of links to books, poems, and readings.

Poetry contests abound -- the 2-Day Poem Contest, which is for everyone -- to the Double Exposure Poetry Challenge for poets who live in and around Surrey and White Rock. The reason for this local focus isn't about being exclusive. It's just that poems need to be inspired by a photograph in the current exhibit at the nearby Turnbull Gallery.

And if you'd like to join in the celebration without having to go anywhere at all, click here to find yourself at a site where you'll find new poems every day of the month.