Great Poetry Reading Day

Reading and writing poetry makes you think of new ideas, but can also dramatically change the way you perceived old ones. It is a way to process experiences, visual descriptions, and emotions.

Poetry is one of the oldest forms of communication, dating back to prehistoric times with hunting poetry in Africa and ancient Egypt. The oldest surviving epic poem is the Epic of Gilgamesh and dates from the 3rd millennium BC in Sumer (now Iraq). The longest poem in the world is the Mahabharata.

Read the poem twice in a row. Take note of what you notice the second time that wasn't so apparent in your first reading. Don't skip over unfamiliar words. Notice point of view.