Did you know that April is National Poetry Month? I don’t know how you feel about poetry, but it has always been a little intimidating for me (I even took a whole class on poetry in college and it’s still kind of scary!). I never know how to start a poem, what I should even write about, and the most nerve-wracking part for me is sharing what I’ve written with a loved one or friend.

If this sounds like you--I have a solution. Spine poetry! So, that thing that’s sticking out on our bookshelves at the Barrington Area Library, you know, the one with the title of the book on it? That’s called the spine! If you have a few books lying around at home, take a look at their titles. How can you arrange them so it looks and sounds like a poem? Here’s one that I wrote with some of my books at home.

Matilda,
Who are you?
A light in the attic,
Finding mighty.

My fiancé, Erik, wrote this one.

Once upon a memory,
A monster calls…
YOU, the ruby in the smoke,
Out of the dust.

Spine poetry takes some of the pressure off for those of us who are a little intimidated by writing poetry. You already have a pool of words to work with, now you just have to figure out the best way to arrange them. After writing a few spine poems, you might even gain the confidence to try writing poetry on your own!

Snap a photo of your poem, or type it up, and send it to us at youthservices@balibrary.org by Friday, May 8!

Mindful Moment

Writing a mantra is similar to writing a poem. A mantra is a phrase that you repeat to yourself throughout the day to help you get through it. It can be something like “today is going to be a good day,” or “I can breathe through this moment,” or “I am thankful.” Think of a mantra that will help you through today. Take a deep breath and repeat it to yourself three times. Repeat as many times as you need to throughout your day.

    Youth Services Assistant Librarian Stefanie