There is no perhaps no better time for National Poetry Month than April. In the early days of spring with the weather getting warmer and the sun shining brighter, it feels appropriate to engage with art that mimics the changing of the seasons. With movement crafted from meter and rhyme, poetry—whether it be narrative or lyrical, classic or contemporary—shares that very fluidity and the hope of what's to come.
It’s a common turn of phrase that poetry is meant to be heard. Tone, pauses, cadence, and vocal inflections all serve to further the emotional pull of modern and historical poetic masterpieces. In audio, poems can be heard and enjoyed just as the poet meant them to be. Taking into account not only the words themselves but the way they are spoken, our list provides an overarching look at the power behind a poem, celebrating those works which have touched our souls and stood the test of time and current voices who have already made their mark.
