Poetry has a long and varied history. It dates back at least to prehistoric times with hunting poetry in Africa. The oldest surviving epic poem, the Epic of Gilgamesh, dates from the 3rd millennium BCE in Sumer, present-day Iraq, and was written on clay tablets and, later, on papyrus. Other ancient epics include the Greek Iliad and the Odyssey. Poetry is a distinct form of expression used by humans for centuries.
The world is always changing. And now, more than ever, it seems like the lack of interest in poetry is general and spreads quickly. It’s rare to see someone waiting for the bus reading a poetry book. So what changed?
New technologies have numerous advantages. Physical boundaries, such as distance, disappeared. And today, everything is faster and more accessible. However, with the new digital reality, mindsets have also changed. People would rather spend hours in front of screens on social media than dedicate time to a good book of poetry. And like that, this unique form of literature seems to be losing the fight against phones for people’s attention.
In this context, is important to reflect on possible solutions to save poetry from being
forgotten. That's how the idea of aligning social media and poetry came about. In an attempt to keep poetry alive and reach more people. There are countless accounts on social networks, such as Instagram, Twitter, and tiktok, which produce content to promote poetry. These accounts have young people as their main target. They reach thousands of people and encourage reading. More importantly, they make poetry dynamic and current.
I leave in this article some of my favorite poetry accounts on Instagram, so you can celebrate this special day by checking them out or even following them.
@poetryfoundation
The Poetry Foundation isn’t only an Instagram account. Is an American literary society that seeks to promote poetry and lyricism in the wider culture. They publish daily on social media. In their feed, you can find your next favorite contemporary poet. “We work to amplify poetry and celebrate poets by fostering spaces for all to create, experience, and share poetry.”
@artofpoets
Art of Poets it’s an online community with an inspirational vision: “Inspiring readers to live a more conscious life”. On their Instagram, you can count on excellent book recommendations and a poem a day.
@poetspecial
With this account, you have the feeling of opening a book. Every post is a picture of a page of a poetry book. I’m sure that in there you can find the perfect post to put on your stories to celebrate #poetryday. Their motto is: “we all are different, we all are special, poetry for all moods in one place.”