Poets.org Launches World's First Mobile Poetry Site

The Academy of American Poets announced the launch of a mobile poetry archive which provides free and direct access to the entire collection of over 2,500 poems on Poets.org, as well as hundreds of biographies and essays, all in the palm of a hand. "As the first arts organization to offer mobile content, the Academy of American Poets affirms its imperative to connect people to poetry by creating free and simple access for everyone," said Tree Swenson, executive director of the Academy of American Poets.

New York, NY (PRWEB) March 13, 2008 -- Today, the Academy of American Poets announced the launch of a mobile poetry archive which provides free and direct access to the entire collection of over 2,500 poems on Poets.org, as well as hundreds of biographies and essays, all in the palm of a hand.

On the web at: www.poets.org/mobile

No Computers, No Books, No Wires

Designed using Web 2.0 Internet Standards and Apple's Developers Guidelines, the site is optimized for the iPhone, and formatted for effortless access on most mobile devices. Now, for the first time, mobile users have unlimited access to the rich resources of Poets.org, one of the largest poetry destinations on the web, a site which has steadily expanded and evolved since it was first launched over a decade ago.

Pioneering Poetry

"I have always believed that poetry has a necessary place in daily life," said Tree Swenson, executive director of the Academy of American Poets. "As the first arts organization to offer mobile content, the Academy of American Poets affirms its imperative to connect people to poetry by creating free and simple access for everyone. Ezra Pound said, 'Literature is news that stays news,' and now you can find poems while on the go, as easily as you can read the news, find a map, or check the weather report."

Woo or Woe on the Go

Poems can be browsed by author, title, occasion, or form, and searched easily by keyword. Visitors can read a poem, anytime, anywhere--whether to fill a spare moment, woo a darling, toast a friend, find solace, or recite a few immortal lines--verse is now at your fingertips.

Poetry in Your Pocket

This new mobile archive offers unlimited access to Poets.org just in time for National Poetry Month in April, a month long celebration of poetry and its vital place in American culture, which was inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996. On April 17, mobile users can instantly celebrate the first national Poem In Your Pocket Day by reading poems and sharing them with co-workers, family, friends, and even strangers.

To reach the mobile site, simply go to www.poets.org/m on any mobile device

Screen shots, stills, and icons are available for media use. Contact Robin Beth Schaer, rschaer @ poets.org, 212-274-0343, ext. 25

About Poets.org

The official website of Academy of American Poets, Poets.org offers hundreds of essays and interviews about poetry, biographies of more than 550 poets, over 2,500 poems, and hundreds of audio recordings. Each month, the site receives over million unique visitors, making it one of the largest and most popular poetry sites on the internet. The site is programmed in partnership with Juxta Digital.

About the Academy of American Poets

The Academy of American Poets is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1934 to foster appreciation for contemporary poetry and to support American poets at all stages of their careers. For over three generations, the Academy has connected millions of people to great poetry through programs such as National Poetry Month, the largest literary celebration in the world; Poets.org, the most popular site about poetry on the web, presenting a wealth of great poems, audio recordings, poet biographies, essays, and interactive discussions about poetry; the Poetry Audio Archive, capturing the voices of contemporary American poets for generations to come; American Poet, a biannual literary journal; and our annual series of poetry readings and special events.

The Academy also awards prizes to accomplished poets at all stages of their careers--from hundreds of student prizes at colleges nationwide to the Wallace Stevens Award for lifetime achievement in the art of poetry. For more information, visit www.poets.org.

Academy of American Poets
584 Broadway, Suite 604
New York, New York 10012

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