Jo Bell is the co-ordinator of National Poetry Day and a poet in her own right. She works across the UK, meeting poets, organisations and poetry audiences. She has been co-ordinating NPD since 2006.
Poetry in the UK
Happy National Poetry Day! Our UK-wide poetry party embraces the academic, the eccentric and even YOU, privately reading a poem in the bath or on the bus. On this day, we highlight the year-long work of all those who write, read and share poetry.
Our 2009 theme of Heroes and Heroines has caught the national imagination. BBC Radio 4’s Poetry Please chose poems on the theme, and their Poetry Slam goes out on National Poetry Day at 11pm. Our in-house poetry hero is Carol Ann Duffy, the new Poet Laureate, who has proved that she can navigate the difficult waters of laureateship without compromising her own strong voice. See her specially-commissioned poem for us here.
Other poetry heroes are doing their bit – visit our What’s On pages to find them near you. In Derbyshire, Ann Atkinson is launched as the new Poet Laureate of the Peak – in Birmingham, Adrian Johnson takes a tour of poetic and civic heroes. Across the Atlantic, Pulitzer-prize nominated poet Martín Espada makes his own contribution with a tribute to British poetry hero Adrian Mitchell, who died this year. In Builth Wells you can have tea with Wendy Cope: in Falkirk, celebrate poetic heroism with Brainheart. In London there is a poetry breakfast in the City; the announcement of the Foyle Young Poet of the Year; and a Heroes and Heroines event at the National Gallery. There are poetry slams, poetry marathons, poetry book club meetings and poetry competitions.
My poetry heroes are a disparate bunch. For classic poetry it would be WH Auden with his technically perfect, deeply humane language. For performance and chutzpah it would be Elvis McGonagall’s hilarious rants; for bringing poetry to new audiences it would be the tireless Dreadlockalien who works in schools across the West Midlands. For innovation and exciting language, Katrina Porteous. For supporting poets in every stage of their career, the Arvon Foundation, the Wordsworth Trust and the much-maligned Arts Council.
National Poetry Day is an independent organisation supported by the Arts Council and the Forward Arts Foundation: but we need strong support to continue our annual campaign. If you have enjoyed the events of the past sixteen years, drop us a line here info@nationalpoetryday.co.uk to let us know and show your support!
