To celebrate the final day of the National Poetry Month, the American Academy of Poets will host Shelter in Poems: A Virtual Reading of Uplifting Poems to Bring Us Together on Thursday, April 30th at 7:30 p.m. E.T.
“As National Poetry Month comes to a close, many of us will have weathered a month of solitude in an act of solidarity to protect each other. During these weeks, poetry has brought us all closer together even as we remain physically apart,” the academy’s website stated.
The event will raise funds to support our free publications and programs, including K–12 education programs. Below is a list of the poets and performers who will be reading their poems that the academy said were chosen “to give comfort and courage.”
The evening will include poems presented by:
Elizabeth Alexander Sam Beam Richard Blanco Julia Bullock Marilyn Chin Rita Dove Patrick Gaspard Amanda Gorman Joy Harjo Juan Felipe Herrera Dulé Hill
Edward Hirsch Kevin Kwan Stephin Merritt Maulik Pancholy Alison Pill Dan Rather Alberto Ríos Mustafa Shakir Naomi Shihab Nye Lorna Simpson Amber Tamblyn Natasha Trethewey and other special guests