It’s also the last day of Jazz Month, but as much as I love jazz, I love poetry more. Though it’s sad that it was set up to create a sort of competition.

But hopefully, some of those handful of people who read my blog (so much time spent writing for so few readers… rather like being a poet, n’est pas?) will actually read some poetry in May, as well.

And go ahead and buy that snotty, over intellectualized and under employed recent college grad in your life a copy of e e cummings (for some reason, that always seems like the traditional poetry present for that character), the moody teenage girl some Plath or Sexton (when they get to college, you can give them a copy of something by Sharon Olds, but not until you’ve accepted the likelihood of that person being sexually active). And for the more old fashioned reader who claims to only like poetry that rhymes, go beyond Frost and give them some W.D. Snodgrass or, if you’re feeling particularly subversive, some Frederick Seidel.

And check with your local indie bookstores and college type coffeehouses and find out when the next poetry reading or poet friendly open mic is taking place. And when you go to that poetry reading, but one of the poet’s books. The poet will feel good, you will feel good, and poetry as a contemporary and living art will have been supported. Seriously, it will cost around $15 and you’ll a freaking book. It won’t spoil and lasts longer in the system than $15 worth of beer. And, you know, it’s just good form. Don’t be one of those people. And for God’s sake, don’t leave the poet hanging, wondering if anyone will ever buy and read his or her poetry.

When you bring a book to read, bring a book of poetry sometimes, instead of that thumping big novel.

Memorize some pithy lines and drop into conversation, casually mentioning who wrote it. You will appear smarter (if you do it right) and maybe the people you are conversing with, in the hopes of appearing smarter themselves, will go home and commit to memory some poetry themselves in order to drop it into conversation.