Editor's Note: This essay appeared in Cognoscenti's newsletter of ideas and opinions, delivered weekly on Sundays. To become a subscriber, sign up here. There seems to be a theme month for everything ...

Mississippi's 2026 Poetry Out Loud Recitation Contest. High school students from across the state compete for a chance to represent Mississippi in the National Recitation Contest in Washington, D.C.

Let’s memorize a poem! Not because it’s good for us or because we think we should, but because it’s fun, a mental challenge with a solid aesthetic reward. You can amuse yourself, impress your friends ...

A video of the dance went viral and sparked conversation about the importance of the arts in school Meredith Wilshere is a Society and Culture writer at PEOPLE. Her work has previously appeared on PS, ...

William Shakespeare is the bestselling poet of all time. The word 'poetry' is from the Greek term poiesis, which means 'making'. The oldest written poem is the Epic of Gilgamesh originating from ...

The magic of creator, lead actor, and bass-baritone Davóne Tines’ operatic adaption of Langston Hughes’ 1931 dramatic monologue “The Black Clown” lies in its everythingness. Hughes’ poem — written on ...

Spoken word poetry is very popular and there are a number of well-known spoken word poets. As well as winning poetry awards, spoken word poet Kae Tempest has also been nominated for music awards ...