Celebrate Poem in Your Pocket Day

Unique Ways to Celebrate National Poetry Month's Poem in Your Pocket Day

This Poem in Your Pocket tip is for you crafters out there! Carefully cut out a pattern for a new pocket for a pair of pants, a tote bag, or a tee-shirt. Using a fabric pen that won't bleed through to the other side of your pocket, carefully write out a favorite poem; allow the ink to dry. On the other side, write in large letters "POEM POCKET," or any other fun name you come up with for it. After all the ink has dried on both sides, sew the new pocket onto your selected piece of apparel (make sure it's not something you really mind putting a new pocket on). Stick a couple copies of the poem you wrote in that pocket, so as people ask you about your new pocket you can share it with them!

Poems on a Line

Using colorful papers and fabrics, cut out several pocket shapes. Use pens, markers, and fabric paints to write several different poems on your cut-out pockets. Get a container of clothespins and write "Poem Pockets" or "Poem in Your Pocket," or any other creative names, on them; paint them first if you like, to add even more zest to your already colorful project. Using the clothespins, hang your poem pockets on a clothes line. Then hang the line somewhere where your friends and family, or even strangers, can take a poem. Hang it from your cubicle wall, or your office door. Hang it on your front door, or along the length of your fence. Encourage friends, family, strangers, coworkers, bosses, and mail carriers to take one as they pass. Show them how to clip the poem pocket to their shirts, jackets, or bags, or tell them to roll it up and put it in a pocket. You never know who will carry a poem, or how far a poem can go!