Adults

For cheap grass-roots ways to celebrate poetry, look at Book Crossing to find out what a Book Crossing is and how to start. Release poetry on your commuter train or in your workplace and change people's lives! Or visit Pass on a Poem to find out how you can share your favourite poems with like-minded people in your area.

But the simplest way to celebrate is at home with a good book and a cup of tea. The Forward Book of Poetry showcases the best in British poetry every year. This year's anthology is now available from Amazon and other bookshops.

National Poetry Day covers all of the UK. Academi has comprehensive information on literature in Wales, including Welsh poetry and details of the National Poet of Wales. The Scottish Poetry Library has contemporary poetry in English, Scots and Gaelic, listings and resources including 'virtual poets' to explain more about poetry for children. Find them at www.spl.org.uk. In Northern Ireland, the Seamus Heaney Centre is the prime centre for the teaching and promotion of poetry. The Poetry Society has educational resources, events and competitions plus a long-established journal. Equally helpful is the Poetry Book Society, with resources for adults and children, including a helpful beginner’s guide.

Hearing poetry read aloud adds a new dimension. The Poetry Archive lets you hear contemporary poetry read by the poet.