Poetic Tongues/Fabu
Celebrating All Month Long
April starts silly with laughter for April Fools jokes. There is no listed origin for this practice. There are significant celebratory days in April. We just completed Lent leading up to Easter. Lent is Latin for “lengthening of days or coming of Spring.” Lent is 40 days of spiritual reflection with fasting and prayer that leads up to Easter, although more people are calling this Christian holy day, Resurrection Sunday. The origin of the word “Easter” believed to be from “Eastre” is the name of a goddess associated with Spring. Other Americans enjoy Easter as a time for children to color eggs, eat chocolate rabbits, go on Easter egg hunts, eat specific foods, and play games.
Resurrection Sunday or Easter was celebrated on April 20. These 40 days can be peace in quieting oneself during chaos.
For those who understand the importance of protecting the earth, there is Earth Day on April 21. Started in 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson who wanted student activism to include care of earth. This movement was so important that it led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of other first-of-their-kind environmental laws, including the National Environmental Education Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Clean Air Act. Two years later, Congress passed the Clean Water Act. Earth Day 2025 is the 55th Anniversary of Earth Day. Earth Day’s 2025 theme is “Our Power, Our Planet” which asks people to unite around renewable energy. We acknowledge that our spiritual selves are important. We also realize that for the earth to provide for us and future generations, we must live so that we do not destroy this natural home. In caring for the earth there can be peace in practicing ways to replenish the earth.
April is National Poetry Month, and poetry is celebrated the entire month. This is the last of the three major early Spring events, launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996. It celebrates poets' integral role in our culture. For example, some of the most beautiful, life-changing poetry are the Psalms scriptures. Likewise, poetry can express Nature which includes all the fascination of Planet Earth. Poetry is not just an art form that artists engage in, poetry also utilizes our six senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell, and I call the last sense, our intuitive sense; when we know what we know without directly using any of the other five senses.
Usually, April is a month when I am happy just to have the art form, I love to celebrate. There are always dedicated events that focus on poetry in a variety of ways. Poets gather to share craft, and we meet up at various readings. We discuss fundamentals, our latest work, unique directions, and new dreams for books. Poetry, according to me, is always about freedom; the freedom to express oneself, one’s culture, and one’s community without fear, censure, or retaliation. Poetry acts as an historical record and guards against the erasure of truth. In 2025, may poetry continue to be a voice for good.