By Ici Pozo
Rowan Public Library

Poetry books have become one of the least checked out collections in a library; often being left behind until there is an academic assignment or a quote is needed. However, when it comes to poetry, it is one of the oldest forms of literary works. According to historians, “the earliest examples of written literature appear to have originated in ancient Mesopotamia. The Sumerian civilization first developed writing around 3400 B.C. when they began making markings on clay tablets in a script known as cuneiform” (History.com). Keeping that in mind, why is poetry so rarely appreciated? If you are curious as to why poetry books are underappreciated and would like to change that stigma, visit any of the Rowan Public Library locations (Headquarters — Salisbury, East Branch — Rockwell, South Branch — China Grove and the West Branch — Cleveland) or visit our website to access our online catalog (www.rowanpubliclibrary.org).

There are nine different styles of poetry — haiku, free verse, sonnet, acrostic, villanelle, limerick, ode, elegy and ballad. While these poetry styles might not be everyone’s cup of tea, they have been some of the most worked upon forms of literature for thousands of years. Meanwhile, an additional style of poetry has been slowly taking over like a movement, bringing the love of poetry back into the world. That movement is known as spoken word poetry — a form of poetry that focuses on the overall performance of the poem. Spoken word can encompass or contain elements of rap, hip-hop, storytelling, theater, and jazz, rock, blues and folk music. A fantastic way to get back into poetry is by checking out books like “Get Lit Rising: Words Ignite. Claim Your Poem. Claim Your Life,” a spoken word poem book written by 19 inner city teens that use spoken word to depict their struggles and promote their victories during challenging times. Another book to consider is “Respect the Mic: Celebrating 20 Years of Poetry from a Chicagoland High School,” an expansive, moving poetry anthology, representing 20 years of poetry from students and alumni of Chicago’s Oak Park River Forest High School Spoken Word Club. These titles can be found in the Young Adult (YA) section, at RPL Headquarters in Salisbury.

While RPL has a physical poetry book collection, patrons may also access digital collections though NCLive — which can be found under the Digital Materials tab at www.rowanpubliclibrary.org. NCLive provides users with access to hundreds, if not thousands of resources covering many topics and subjects. A wonderful way to learn more about Spoken Word is to visit the different resources NCLive provides on the subject. The possibilities are endless with journal articles, e-books, news and magazine articles, videos and more. To access NCLive, make sure you have your RPL library card and 4-digit PIN. If you do not have one, visit your local branch and sign up for a free library card — all you need is a picture ID with a current and valid mailing address. Or you can sign up for an Online Borrowers Card for free via our website under the “apply for a card” tab.

In the event you do not find what you are looking for, feel free to make suggestions or fill out RPL’s Suggest Materials form (https://www.rowancountync.gov/FormCenter/Library-12/Materials-Request-57) located on RPL’s website under the “I want to” tab. To make a materials request, access NCLive, or learn more about poetry, visit www.rowanpubliclibrary.org or call 980-432-8670.

Ici Pozo is library support specialist at the Rowan Public Library.