National Bad Poetry Day

Founded by renowned holiday creators Thomas and Ruth Roy of Wellcat Holidays, this day is dedicated to bad poetry. Poetry has been around for millennia, dating back to the Sumerian's Epic of Gilgamesh. Poetry "uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language", and its meanings go beyond the prosaic writing. There are many forms of poetry, such as sonnets, limericks, and haikus, and there are many genres of poetry such as narrative, epic, and lyric. When it comes to bad poetry, perhaps Willian Topaz McGonagall tops the list.

How to Observe National Bad Poetry Day

The day may be spent reading bad poetry. Try reading some William Topaz McGonagall poems, or some bad poems by good poets. Once you get a feel for how bad it can get, try writing your own bad poetry. Get some friends together and write, and see who can make the worst poems. Even if they are bad poems, you still will be creating something. As Kurt Vonnegut said, "Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something."

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