In February, Governor Pawlenty named writer Robert Bly our state's first official poet laureate. The governor called him, "A Minnesota treasure," and went on to say Bly's "Many works, impressive 40-year career, and national renown will help promote poetry in Minnesota." As poet laureate, Bly may also be called on to create poems for official state occasions. Perhaps, he could write something for National Poetry Month which is celebrated in April.
     Poetry was a literary genre that held no interest for me in high school even though English was my favorite subject. When Sister Melissa or Mother Albeus mentioned the word poetry, my eyes glazed over and my mind was miles away before the first stanza had been read. Over four years, I was exposed to Haiku, prose odes, sonnets-every form known to the good nuns. All I could do was yawn. While my friends swooned over the words of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and her love, I was caught up in what I called real writing. Brash books like Catcher in the Rye and 1984.
     Four decades later, I joined a writing group at the Loft Literary Center. One member was a young woman from Japan. Naomi and her husband, a scientist, were in America on a visa. While her husband studied fruit flies at the University, Naomi studied poetry at the Loft. Every Wednesday, she shared her work at our meetings. She also told us what she learned in the many poetry classes she took. I was surprised to find out that poetry no longer has to rhyme. That it isn't always flowery. That it is important a poem look pretty or interesting on the page.
     It wasn't long before Naomi had a poem published in a local literary publication. Soon, other members of the group began writing poems. I found myself buying books by Ted Kooser, Alice Walker and Jim Moore and even went so far as to turn my column about making soup into a poem. I was encouraged to enter it in a contest. I would like to tell you it won, but it didn't. I may arrange it differently and try again. Poetry is like art, I found out: how you frame the words is important, too.
     Do you have a favorite poem that you, or someone else, have written? If you do, put it in your pocket on April 17th. That day has been designated the first ever National Poem in Your Pocket Day. The American Academy of Poetry recommends you share your poem with others that day—people you work with, your friends and family members. If you don't have a favorite poem, you can sign up on the Academy's website (www.poets.org) to receive a poem in your e-mail inbox every day during National Poetry Month.
     As for me, I am going to take out the book Naomi gave me before she returned to her homeland. At the last meeting of our writing group, she presented each of us with a beautiful gift—a Hallmark scrapbook filled with the poems she had written during her stay. Each one brings a memory of the young woman who made me want to learn about her art form. Each one is pretty on the page. Each one is a winner.