Morning “Prayer”
While you settle in with your morning coffee, try taking a poetry book off your shelf and opening up to a random page. Maybe what you read will become your mantra for the day. Or maybe you will discover a poem you haven’t read before. I call it a prayer because it reminds me of the morning offering prayers I said as a kid. The act of waking up to poetry can change your whole perception of the day, can make you feel creative, present, or just simply connected to another human being.
Poem-a-Day newsletter
Poets.org has a Poem-A-Day newsletter, which sends poetry straight to your inbox each day. Launched in 2006, Poem-a-Day is the original and only daily digital poetry series featuring over 250 new, previously unpublished poems by today’s talented poets. The series highlights classic poems on weekends and accompanies weekday poems with exclusive commentary and audio by the poets. According to their website, “the series’ weekdays are curated by twelve poets from across the country who have wide-ranging expertise and editorial perspectives.”
Keep a poetry journal
Try buying a notebook that you can carry with you every day. Take a few minutes out of your day to jot down a quick poem, one that expresses emotions you are currently dealing with or the thoughts racing through your mind.
Writing every day will not only make you a stronger poet and writer, but it can also reduce stress. According to Intermountain Healthcare, “journaling is an incredible stress management tool, a good-for-you habit that lessens the impact of physical stressors on your health. In fact, a study showed that expressive writing (like journaling) for only 15 to 20 minutes a day three to five times over the course of a four-month period was enough to lower blood pressure and improve liver functionality.”
Poetry journaling can also help regulate your mood, sort through emotions and keep your brain sharp and diligent.
Share a poem with a friend
Sending your friend or loved one a poem is a great way to incorporate poetry into your daily routine. It’s like sending a love note or an “I’m thinking of you” letter. Sometimes it’s hard to find the right words to express how we feel about one another. You might feel awkward or vulnerable or uncomfortable, but poetry is the gift that keeps on giving.
Taking a moment out of your day to think of someone else and give them words that might bring connection, comfort, or love can be a beautiful way to strengthen your bonds with others and make someone’s day.
Keep your Instagram feed poetry-centric
There is a multitude of poets to follow on Instagram, which is a testament to the growing online writing community. Amazing writers are sharing their vulnerability through their words every day to growing audiences.
As a writer, I think this is beautiful to finally have a safe space on the internet where poets can blossom and have their voices heard. By keeping your feed full of poetry, you are sure to see some during your daily scrolling.
Here are a few of my favorite accounts for you to discover:
