National Poetry Month is less than a week away! April 2026 will be the 30th anniversary of the first National Poetry Month. Are you a teen with something you want to express but can’t find the words? That’s alright, anyone can be a poet!
Found poetry allows you to take word snippets from different sources to create a poem of your own. Think of it as a collage or poetry vision board. Found poetry isn’t a new poetic form, but as language changes it adapts and stays fresh. Even famous, award-winning poets like Ezra Pound and William Carlos Williams created found poems.
On Friday April 3, Teen Services will celebrate this art form and National Poetry Month with Recycled Words: Found Poetry from 1:30 – 2:30 PM. We’ll have old magazines, newspapers, printed out lyrics and more to help inspire you. Whether it’s cutting and pasting, using a marker for blackout poetry or more we’ve got you covered. As a bonus, if you share with you the group, you will receive an extra snack!
Seeking inspiration before then? Check out some poetry at the Academy of American Poets website. You can also find poetry books for teens in the Teen non-fiction section just to the left of the Teen Room (you can find poetry under 811 in the numbered Dewey Decimal System). Additionally, we’ll have books of poetry on display.
Feel free to ask your friendly Teen Services staff for help finding these or any other books. You can use your free DKPL library card to check out physical copies of books at our library. Many books can also be downloaded to your phone, tablet, or computer as e-books or audiobooks. Stop by the Teen Room with any questions or contact the Teen Services Staff at (815) 756-9568 ext. 2450 or by email at [email protected].