A Bouquet Of Poets For National Poetry Month

Poet Kevin Young says there are so many different kinds of poetry, even people who think they hate it should reassess. "I think of [poetry] more like music," Young told me last year. "Like, if someone said, 'I don't like any music,' I would be like 'Who are you? I don't understand.' They haven't found the right music to me, then." Same with poetry, he says: "I think we have to help people find the right poem for them." Well, in honor of National Poetry Month, we have an assortment of amazing poets for your consideration. A bouquet of poets! Their work covers everything from immigrants' lives to connecting with animals to the ache of a mother lost too young. Our poets are spread all across the country, and have roots all over the world. Dip in, find the poem—or the excerpt of the poem—that speaks to you. Ada Limón writes about the expectations that other people's assumptions sometimes place upon her. She was inspired to write it after she was asked to read at an event, and the