National Poetry Month is widely celebrated throughout the country each April. It was founded by the Academy of American Poets in 1996 to highlight the achievements of American poets, support poets and poetry, bring poetry into our classrooms, and encourage the reading of poems.

To celebrate, the Friends of the Mission Hills-Hillcrest/Knox Library is sponsoring a Blackout Poetry Project the week of April 11-16. Find out what blackout poetry is and create your own blackout poem. Library patrons of all ages are invited to participate.

During regular Library hours, pick up materials outside the Library and create your poem at the Blackout Poetry table inside. Patrons displaying their completed poem in the Library will be entered in a drawing to win a $50 gift certificate for the “Library Shop” at the Central Library. All participants will receive an appreciation incentive of imprinted “National Poetry Month” pencils.

San Diego’s first Poet Laureate, Ron Salisbury, shares his love for poetry and reads some of his work on Saturday, April 9 at 2 p.m. in the Community Room at the Mission Hills-Hillcrest/Knox branch.

Special events include “Poem in Your Pocket Day” on April 28 where you can pick up poems or share favorite poems in your pockets.

A Kids’ Poetry Workshop is scheduled for Saturday, April 23 at 1 p.m.

Want to read some of your own poetry? Come to the Open Mic event on Saturday, April 16 at 10 a.m. Curran Jeffrey will facilitate the reading.

This article was submitted by the Friends of the Mission Hills-Hillcrest/Knox Library.