Some people may know that April is National Poetry Month. A new Issaquah-based literary arts organization, Eastside Writes, hopes to build community by bringing Poem in Your Pocket Day out of obscurity. Eastside Writes is partnering with Issaquah businesses to distribute pocket-sized poetry throughout the day on Thursday, April 24.

Founded by a group of local writers, Eastside Writes exists to promote the literary arts in and around Issaquah. By sharing poetry, the group hopes to prompt unexpected conversations throughout the community. Some of the public-domain poems they’ve selected will be familiar to readers, and others may not. All have been chosen to spark reflection and dialogue.

“We hope this will become an annual communitywide event with increased participation each year,” said Eastside Writes co-founder Kim Kankiewicz. “To our knowledge, no other community in the Pacific Northwest has embraced Poem in Your Pocket Day, and we hope Issaquah will be the first to do so.”

Poem in Your Pocket Day began in 2002 as part of New York City’s National Poetry Month celebration. The Academy of American Poets took the event national in 2008. To date, Poem in Your Pocket Day activities have occurred mostly on a small scale in scattered schools, libraries and bookstores.

“Issaquah is the perfect setting for a communitywide Poem in Your Pocket Day,” says Kankiewicz. “We have vibrant arts and independent business sectors and a diverse population. Local businesses have responded enthusiastically to our inaugural Poem in Your Pocket event.”

The following Issaquah businesses and organizations will distribute poems to customers and patrons on April 24: Agave Cocina, Issaquah Coffee Company, Art by Fire, Lucky Home, artEast Art Center, Lucky You, Bicycle Center of Issaquah, PinkaBella Cupcakes, Experience Tea, Pogacha, Fischer Meats, Yum-e Yogurt, Flat Iron Grill and Zeeks Pizza.

Individuals who post a photo of their poem, or any pocket-sized poem, on the Eastside Writes Facebook page by April 25 will be entered in a drawing for a $20 gift card to one participating business. Additional Poem in Your Pocket Day activities are taking place at Clark Elementary School.

Eastside Writes brings together writers of all ages and experience levels to develop and share their writing. Upcoming programs and events include a Mother’s Day card writing workshop, summer writing camps for kids and teens and an outdoor writing experience in conjunction with artEAST’s Plein Air Paint Out.

For more information, visit eastsidewrites.org.