There is a profound need for what perhaps poetry alone can provide for us. Our national conversation, interpersonal relationships, and the general trend of our culture can derive badly needed remediation from the arresting voices of poets. Their distinctive ways of inhabiting language invite us to break away from clichés and routines of speech and thought. As opposed to the bluster and self-righteous indignation that prevails in so many spaces of our civic discourse, poets encourage us to discover what we really mean when we speak, maybe even what we mean to one another.
In celebration of National Poetry Month, the library has planned a major series of events, “Voice & Verse: A Festival of Poetry.” Highlights include a keynote offered by award-winning American poet, essayist, and translator Robert Pinsky, joined in conversation by Eliza Griswold; and “Poetry in a Burning World,” featuring Ilya Kaminsky and Katie Farris, presented in partnership with the Princeton University Humanities Council.
On April 22, join us for a screening of “Come See Me in the Good Light,” immediately followed by a poetry performance by No River Twice, during which an original composition exploring themes of the film will be developed. On April 29, we’ll be showing “Hamnet.” Events are planned for new books, including the launch of Dara-Lyn Shrager’s “Little Knives” and a Poetry Marketplace on the morning of May 2.
A special cross-section of events, supported by the National Humanities Center as part of the Being Human Festival (US) 2026, gathers a distinctive series of encounters under the subtitle, “Between Lines and Stanzas: Ways of Being Human with Poetry.” The virtual brochure for the festival collects not only the full schedule of events, but also titles from the library’s collections and other resources through which anyone can deepen their engagement with poetry.
There is truly something for everyone. On April 24, teens are invited to pick up a blackout poetry kit, and return on April 28 for a special session of Craft, Chat & Chill devoted to DIY magnetic poetry. And for kids, there is a craft for Poem in Your Pocket Day as well as the “Poem of the Day: Poems for Kids” video series, with a new reading offered each day through the end of April.
While this rich set of programming depends above all on the artistry and generosity of the poets featured throughout the series, it could not exist without the efforts of colleagues and partners, including the Princeton University Humanities Council, the Princeton University Press, the National Humanities Center, and the Princeton French Film Festival. Their tireless effort is an inspiration and a generous gift to our community.