World Poetry Day 2026

World Poetry Day, March 21, 2026

It’s believed the first known poem appeared 4,000 years ago in Babylon. Poetry lives inside us all, whether we acknowledge it or not. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) founded this day in 1999.

So celebrate the day. Embrace the beauty around you. Listen to a song–lyrics are poetry too! Maybe even write a poem of your own. It doesn’t even have to rhyme!

Inside poems wait
They poke the edges of my brain
Waiting to be born
I don't know what they'll look like 
but all newborns are precious. 

Elise Skidmore ©2026