National Take A Poet To Lunch Day is the best date to thank the author for their work. If you know a poet, it’s time to pay attention to them and invite them to meet. Poetry is an amazing force that can touch our hearts, make us happy, sad, or empathize… It’s hard to imagine life without it.
History
It is impossible to identify the person who created the National Day, but one thing is clear: they were very fond of poetry. Did you know that poetry appeared millennia earlier than prose? Surprisingly, prose texts originated in the 6th century BC and were initially experimental. No one was interested in the genre because, of course, poetry was in the lead! Rhyme was not used at first; it was invented only in the Middle Ages.
Everything was presented in poetic form: fairy tales, stories, information about battles, and laws. Ancient writers, whose names we no longer recognize, composed works that people memorized and passed along. We live in a different time—a few minutes separate us from the works of great authors. Today it is easy to find everything you want to read—the Internet is always at hand.
Interesting Facts
It is noteworthy that:
- some researchers believe that the first verse was written in the 23rd century BC. It was composed by an Akkadian princess;
- the Chinese emperor Qianlong executed poets who wrote sad works;
- The English romantic poet Lord Byron was very fond of animals, but in Cambridge, where he studied, it was not allowed to have dogs and cats. So he got a bear cub—this animal was not mentioned in the rules, so no one could stop him;
- Cuban poet Julián del Casal died of laughter from an anecdote told by an acquaintance. Uncontrollable laughter led to an aortic rupture and bleeding.
How to Celebrate
Invite a poet to National Take A Poet To Lunch Day and treat them to delicious food. Arrange a meeting in a cafe or cook meals at home. Take time for your favorite poems—re-read them; find new contemporary talent and check out their work.
When is National Take a Poet to Lunch Day in 2025?
National Take a Poet to Lunch Day is observed on January 6 each year.
Observations
Weekday | Month | Day | Year |
Monday | January | 6 | 2025 |
Tuesday | January | 6 | 2026 |
Wednesday | January | 6 | 2027 |
Thursday | January | 6 | 2028 |
Saturday | January | 6 | 2029 |