World Poetry Day: March 21

Every year the Cities of Literature celebrate World Poetry Day on March 21, highlighting the importance of poetry around the world. We’ve spotlighted a few of our recent celebrations below.

World Poetry Day 2024

In 2024, Seattle City of Literature collaborated with local letterpress nonprofit Partners in Print and poet Claudia Castro Luna to create small “poems for your pocket” as part of their “Poetry for Everyone” initiative.

The cards feature poems from UNESCO Cities of Literature Bucheon, South Korea and Slemani, Iraq as well as Seattle. The poems are presented in their original languages of Korean, Kurdish, and Spanish with English translations. They are available beginning March 21, 2024 at branches of The Seattle Public Library, Open Books: A Poem Emporium, and other local bookstores while supplies last.

World Poetry Day 2023

In 2023 Seattle City of Literature partnered with Civic Poet Shin Yu Pai, La Sala, and Seattle Escribe to curate a selection of poets to read their work at a digital event. The event was presented in English and in Spanish to highlight the Spanish language poets around Seattle.

World Poetry Day 2021

Seattle Civic Poet Jourdan Imani Keith and six other poets presented “Womxn & Whales First, Poetry in a Climate of Change. Their poems explored how protecting endangered womxn will protect endangered whales.

World Poetry Day 2019

In 2019, Seattle City of Literature worked with Inye Wokoma to record footage of poets reading their work on themes of gender equity.