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April is National Poetry Month! Established by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996, National Poetry Month is an annual observance that honors the vital role of poets in our culture and emphasizes the importance of poetry.

MCL is excited to bring back the Community Poem this year to celebrate. This year’s theme will follow the Library’s NEA Big Read program theme in partnership with Merck Forest & Farmland Center, “building hope and connection through our landscape”. All are encouraged to submit a line or two for the community poem, with thought toward our natural surroundings and how they help to foster and create connection in our community.

Submit your line below by the end of the day on Friday, April 24, 2026. Then come to the poetry salon on Friday, May 1st, for our National Poetry Month wrap-up, where we will read the community poem together.