This is National Poetry Day.

“Roses are red, violets are blue; some poems rhyme, but this one doesn’t.”

Since it’s National Poetry Day, it was only right to begin with a poem—well, sort of a poem. Speaking of that, how do you feel about poetry and poems? It’s a style of writing that has been around for many years. And, like it or not, when you get to high school, you’ll read a ton of poems in literature classes.

In giving us his Word, God used a variety of authors and writing styles and types. The Bible has historical books (such as Genesis and Acts), prophetic books (such as Isaiah and Amos), letters (such as Galatians and 1 John), gospels (such as Matthew and Luke), and apocalyptic books (such as Revelation). In fact, one whole section in the Old Testament is labeled as poetry. This section has Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs.

You can find poems in other parts of the Bible, but Psalms has some amazing ones. Check out Psalm 127, for example. It begins, “Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is useless. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good” (v. 1). And a little later, you’ll find: “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him” (v. 3). That’s talking about you, so now you like poetry, right?

Restore our fortunes, Lord,

as streams renew the desert.

Those who plant in tears

will harvest with shouts of joy.

They weep as they go to plant their seed,

but they sing as they return with the harvest.

—Psalm 126:4-6

To Do

Try reading a Psalm a day for the next week or so. Let God’s Word presented through poetry sink in. And try your hand at expressing yourself through a poem.

Also on this day

This is National Grouch Day.

1860—In her letter to presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln, Grace Bedell, age 11, said he would look better if he grew a beard.

1951—I Love Lucy premiered on television.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.