Happy National Poetry Month
Gator Community Members Share Their Favorite Poems
By Sheryl E. Taylor
From about 14 billion years ago to present day, poetry’s collision of words has evoked great thought or emotion, spurred a revolution or captured the ever-evolving challenges of the world around and has never looked back.
The celebration of all thing’s poetry began a mere 24 years ago in 1996. The Academy of American Poets launched and designated April as National Poetry Month “to remind the public that poets have an integral role to play in our culture and that poetry matters.” The Academy was founded in 1934 to support American poets at all stages of their careers and to foster the appreciation of contemporary poetry.
No stranger to joining a national awareness movement, the Gator Community celebrates National Poetry Month by sharing their original and favorite poems via UHD’s Instagram, Twitter and Facebook social media channels. Fellow Gators sharing their favs include Robin Davidson, English professor and 2015 Houston Poet Laureate; UHD Provost Dr. Eric Carl Link; Daniel Peña, author and assistant professor of English; and Alumni Jhon Ortiz. ... just to name a few.
And if you’re curious, “The Epic of Gilgamesh” is largely considered the oldest known poem ever written and one of the oldest works of literature from ancient Mesopotamia (circa 2000 BCE).
In Thursday’s edition of UHD News, we will feature original poems by a few of our very-own Gators for Poem in Your Pocket Day!
The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) is the second-largest university in Houston and has served the educational needs of the nation’s fourth-largest city since 1974. As one of four distinct public universities in the University of Houston System, UHD is a comprehensive, four-year university led by President Loren J. Blanchard. Annually, UHD educates approximately 14,000 students, boasts more than 66,000 alumni, and offers 45 bachelor’s degrees, 12 master’s degrees, and 19 online programs within four colleges: Marilyn Davies College of Business, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Public Service, and College of Sciences and Technology. UHD has one of the lowest tuition rates in Texas.
U.S. News and World Report ranked UHD among the nation’s Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Applied Administration and Best Online Master’s Programs in Criminal Justice, as well as a Top Performer in Social Mobility. The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranked UHD one of the best colleges in the U.S. for its 2024 rankings, with notable distinctions: No. 1 for diversity (tied) and No. 3 for student experience. The University is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, a Minority-Serving Institution, and a Military Friendly School. For more information on the University of Houston-Downtown, visit uhd.edu.
