I'll Have a Poem With My Coffee, Please

To jump start our day, many of us need that cup (or a few!) of coffee.  It’s an addiction.  A habit.  Something we think we need to power through.  We wake up, feel more alert and alive--prepared to greet whatever comes our way.  Our healthier selves have other daily routines—brushing our teeth, eating fruits and vegetables, exercise.  And then, of course, there are the guilty pleasures—a cocktail, slice of chocolate cake, a cannoli.

But a poem a day is the best habit to form.  In this modern era, it’s also an easy, low cost addiction to fuel. 

In April 2006, during national poetry month, the website Poets.org started its Poem-A-Day project.  Simply sign up on Poets.org with your email, and each morning a poem will be delivered right to your electronic doorstep to savor as you start your day.  Another e-newsletter source for a quality daily poem, as well as interesting trivia about writers and moments in history, is Garrison Keillor’s The Writer’s Almanac [writersalmanac.publicradio.org].

For those with an iPhone or Droid, there are many free poetry-related apps as well.  Some inspiring apps include Poem Flow and The Poetry Foundation’s Poetry Mobile App. [Share your other favorites in the comments below!]

Of course, there always is the tried and true traditional method:  visit your local library or independent bookstore and ensure your shelves and bedside table are stocked with volumes of poetry.  That way, you will have no trouble meeting your recommended daily dose of poetry.

What are you waiting for?  Start your poem-a-day habit today, and feel the positive difference a day makes!

"Poetry is the synthesis of hyacinths and biscuits."  ~ Carl Sandburg