Founded in 1934, the Academy of American Poets supports American poets and improves the appreciation of contemporary poetry by producing a wide range of programs.

National Poetry Month

Started in 1996, National Poetry Month is now held every April to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture. The signature education project, Dear Poet, helps teachers and students engage with the art of poetry.

Poem-a-Day

Poem-a-Day is the daily digital poetry series featuring previously unpublished poems by today’s talented poets each year. On weekdays, poems are accompanied by commentary by the poets. The series highlights classic poems on weekends. Launched in 2006, Poem-a-Day is now distributed via email and social media to 350, 000+ readers free of charge.

National Poem in Your Pocket Day

In 2002, the Office of the Mayor, in partnership with the New York City Departments of Cultural Affairs and Education, initiated Poem in Your Pocket Day, a time for New York City residents to select a poem, carry it with them, and share it with others throughout the day. In 2008, the Academy of American Poets took the initiative national, encouraging individuals around the country to join in and channel their inner poet.

Poetry & the Creative Mind

Poetry & the Creative Mind program features legendary actors, artists, and public figures sharing their favorite poems. This year, the 19th annual Poetry & the Creative Mind will be presented online, making it accessible to poetry lovers everywhere.

Amazingly for the British, who love queues, there is no formal line-up. The bar staff are skilled at knowing whose turn it is. You are permitted to try to attract attention, but there are rules about how to do this. Do not call out, tap coins on the counter, or wave like a drowning swimmer. Do not sigh or roll your eyes. And whatever you do, do not ring the bell hanging behind the counter. This is used by the landlord to signal closing time. The key thing is to catch the bar workers’ eyes. You could also hold an empty glass or some money, but do not wave them about. Do adopt an expectant, hopeful, even slightly anxious facial expression. If you look too complacent, the bar staff may assume you are already being served.

Always say “please” and try to avoid some of the British bar staff’s annoyance. They do not like people to keep others waiting while they make up their minds. They don’t like people standing against the bar when there are a lot of customers wanting for service. And they do not like people who wait until the end of the order and ask for such drinks as Guinness Stout which take considerably longer to pour than other drinks.

One Dutch tourist who spent six months visiting 800 of Britain’s 61,000 bars and interviewing 50 bar workers and more than 1,000 customers said, “I can not understand how the British ever manage to buy themselves a drink.” But they do, and if you follow these tips you should be able to do so, too.

Speaking of tips, you should never offer the bar staff cash. The correct behavior is to offer them a drink. Bars pride themselves on their equal atmosphere. A tip in cash would be a reminder of their service role. However, the offer of a drink is a friendly gesture.

No one knows for sure when and where the idea of April Fool’s Day for silly jokes started. One thing is for sure：Humans have been celebrating this holiday for hundreds of years，in many cultures.

One popular theory has to do with the calendar. Many ancient cultures celebrated the new year in spring，around April 1. In Europe，Pope Gregory XIII introduced a new calendar in 1582. The calendar named January 1 as the new start of the year. Many people and countries did not accept the change for years. The story goes that people made fun of the people who still celebrated the new year on April 1.

In some countries，people exchanged gifts on New Year’s Day. So another theory is that people began to give joke gifts on April 1 after the calendar changed. But there are probably as many explanations for the tradition as there are cultures that participate.

One thing is for sure，almost everyone has fun！

Mexicans celebrate a kind of fools’ day on December 28. You’re in trouble on that date if you lend someone something，because you won’t get it back！In India，March 31 is the day for tricks. Portuguese，who celebrate on the Sunday or Monday before the Christian holiday of Lent，throw flour on their friends. People in England say playing tricks after noon on April 1 brings bad luck to the jokers. The U.S. holiday doesn’t have special traditions.

Humor expert Joel Goodman of the Humor Project teaches businesses and individuals how to enjoy the positive power of humor in daily life. When asked to define the difference between a good prank and a disgusting one，he explains，“It is the difference between laughing with someone and laughing at them. Humor should lift people up！”

So start thinking now. If it looks like rain，fill someone’s closed umbrella with pieces of paper and watch them pour down when it is open. Glue a coin to the sidewalk with superglue. When people get annoyed trying to pick it up，remember to yell，“APRIL FOOLS！”Of course，kids can reply with the “Disappearing Class”. When the teacher goes out of the room for a moment，all the kids hide. Just remember，the person you play a trick on should be laughing，too. So keep the tradition going in the right spirit.