Letter: April is national poetry month

Dear Editor:

Each April, publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, schools and poets band together around the country to celebrate poetry, and its vital place in American culture.

It is national poetry month; inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996.

I am proud of my accomplishments as a poet, in July of 2000, I moved to St. Simons Island because of the overwhelming response I received from a poem I had written on a one week vacation there a month earlier.

Half of the poems and poetic prose of my book were written during the first three months I was living here.

I had the opportunity to perform my poetry at schools, art associations, The Jekyll Island Club, as well as opportunities for storytelling. My hour programs were done completely from memory.

Eight months after I arrived, I was nicknamed “The Golden Isles Poet” by the Cloister Resort, where I performed on Valentine’s Day and on every other Sunday night through the end of the spring.

On July 4th, 2001, I was dressed as a Colonial soldier and recited Paul Revere’s Ride nine times for the Sea Island Golf Lodge. Later, on Christmas Eve, I initiated a Yule log tradition as part of an hour program.

While in St. Augustine, I continued the romantic carriage tours which I had begun on Jekyll Island; reciting poetry to couples on special dates. You will find me conducting romantic carriage tours back on Jekyll Island, Wednesday through Sunday nights.

I dream for poetry to be restored to its Classical and Victorian Era prominence.

If poetry loses its following, it is in danger of losing its relevance.

Are you willing for that to happen?

Terry Herbert
Jekyll Island, GA